Letters

Tu Tangata, Issue 9, 1 December 1982, Page 44

Letters

Dear Editor, Hurray for the very good article by L. Scott about “Black Australian Poets” in the October/November Tu Tangata. As a New Zealander who is Aborigine it was great to read. I wonder if Tu Tangata readers are aware of the quite high number of aboriginal people in Aotearoa some 25 at least in my local area of part-aboriginal descent. Also to readers of Scott’s article I have some personal viewpoints to add. One, Scott says “many Aborigines are ashamed of their blackness.” I feel it works also as... “Aborigines ashamed of their whiteness.” Also Scott mentions “white” aborigines as looking down upon their blacker brethen. Certainly it works the other way as some part-black Australians who told me quite bitterly know! “Yella-fellas” is what the full bloods call you. Some comparisons were made with Black Americans to Black Australians. I, and most aborigines, could compare historically, culturally, and in present day conditions more accurately with the American Indian. Keep up the great multi-cultural and Polynesian articles! M.J. Field Marton

Dear Sir, First, my congratulations on your magazine. I have bought it since the first issue and am now on subscription. I enjoy it, and find it challenging and at times deeply moving. I agree with your reply to the review of “Tu Tangata”, which you published in October/November issue, No.B, page 35. In this particular issue I was delighted to read about the recent media hui, held at Takapuahia Marae, Porirua, (pages 22 and 23). For too long our whole country has known little of Maori thinking, Maori attitude, Maori warmth. In law, ignorance is no excuse. The Maori is more compassionate, “Ah, you have to feel aroha for him he didn’t know.” But with the advent of Maori writing becoming more prominent, especially over the last ten or more years, people now have less excuse. Perhaps the pakeha journalists need to look at the range of books available particularly the two by Michael King “Te Ao Hurihuri” and “Tihe Mauri Ora”, both of which are written by various Maori, “Nga Hau Wha”. The sobering thought is that “Te Ao Hurihuri” was first published in 1975, eight years ago nearly! One of the

writers in that book was Harry Dansey, a very fine journalist in Pakeha terms. That book had five reviews, it’s beauty and warmth are apparent from it’s first Acknowledgement “To the contributors who created the flesh of this book”, and the Foreword: “Learning and Tapu” sets its feeling with those three different writers. So much said in such a small book of 176 pages. There is one aspect I would briefly like to touch upon. I hope “Tu Tangata’’ reports on all political party conferences. I looked for reference in your magazine to the “Social Credit Party’s” conference held in Hamilton August 25th to 29th. Social Credit, at that conference reversed the 1981 Manifesto and now have the four Maori seats again in policy, plus “Nga Hau E Wha” representation on Dominion Council. For the first time for a lot of pakehas, the Maori view point was heard and caused the same discomfort as felt by the journalists at the media hui. Good. Now we can start learning together. I look forward as always to your next issue. Hine Mokena Social Credit Maori Policy Committee