Letters to editor

Tu Tangata, Issue 17, 1 April 1984, Page 3

Letters to editor

Kia ora e Philip

Having read Tu Tangata No. 3 November/December 81, I thought I’d write to you and see if you could help “us”. I would like you to publish this in Tu Tangata and see what your readers think first of all.

I’d like to know if you have any regards for people in prisons, borstals, and boys/girls homes around New Zealand. The last estimate I heard was 95% of people in prisons are all maori people. Now having been in prison’s most of my life I have seen my people fall prone to the courtrooms. I know a lot of people have tried to help us, but failed, for some reason our people have closed their ear’s to any form of help.

You must agree that this is sad, but, why is the question we seek. Someone is not doing whatever the right way. And how do we alter or amend this? You see Philip, people have forgotten that we have feelings too. Although we sit on the wrong side of the fence, we think and feel like our brothers and sister’s out there, that look but don’t see us as people. They have forgotten how to reach out with “Aroha”, sure they come, even talk to us, but there’s something missing, something called “AROHA” the word that says it all. When they talk they talk at us and not to us, a big difference. People talk about Unity and peace. But thats all they do, they don’t show us, they think like robots now, although some may not agree, they make us what we are, Philip if you read hard and understand what I am saying, I think you’ll begin to understand what I’m trying to say.

Take a look around you. What do you see. People have lost their respect for life, and now they’re being manufactured as numbers. We live our lives by numbers. I left school when I was 14 and since then I knew nothing but the life of crime. Although I haven’t had the upbringing I would have liked, I’ve been happy. Because prisons are the only place you can find unity, although it has its side affects, its a committee style of living, which we were brought up to know. Our tupuna’s were brought up the same way. Most of my brothers here don’t really understand what make’s them reoffend, but year after year, they keep coming back. Ko mamae ke taku ngakau kite kite enei mahi.

A few of my brothers have ended their lives here, because they have no take to cling to. I myself have tried ending my life a few times which resulted

in me being put in the Mad house, but now I feel that there is a take out there and here, which we all have.

I would like to know if you have people up here that can help us in our thirst for Unity and peace. If so, Philip could you please send them here to see us? And when lam released (which is about Xmas) I would like to set up some sort of take that will give our people at least a go at life, I know it’s hard, and I also know that some won’t take this out, but for those of us that want a go, give us that chance.

One more thing who do I see, or how do I go about getting our take started.

Please answer my letter Philip, we’ve had enough.

Robert Marsh

Dear Sir,

As President of the Polynesian Community Federation of Victoria Te Rangatahi, it is my privilege to write to you and introduce ourselves to you and your readers.

During the winter of 1981, it became apparent to our neighbours Kerri Toogood nee Tangaere and ourselves that the Maori Community desperately needed a Turanga wae wae. So many sudden deaths with no suitable facilities. On the sixth of September 1981, we called our first large public meeting, and announced our desire to unite the people and without delay formulate a plan which would give us our own Marae. The committee was duly elected and so it all began.

Like most new ventures we’ve had our meeting troubles and the passage of time has made us all the more mature. When looking back, I often feel we wasted too much time finding out where our people lived etc. Even now when travelling about, we see a friendly face, sing out kia-ora and if they even look like they know what it means we go back and talk. Well at least 10 per cent were Maoris 90 per cent Greeks! You can’t take your eyes off them or they clean out our puha patches.

Today our executive committee approved the purchase of 19 acres and all the authorities gave the green light to all our requests.

We have our goal up high because that’s the way it’s done over here. The planned complex is expected to pass the million dollar mark. We need any help we can get to raise the funds. The executive committee has forecast an income from the completed project of somewhere around a quarter of a million dollars annually.

The income will be invested to build an adequate fund to help the bereaved. Then we thought we could assist with funds for projects at home.

W. HAMPSHIRE

President Te Rangatahi Victoria, Australia.

Dear Sir

Re: WEAVERS HUI, TOKOMARU BAY Kia orana koe.

I have just read the December ’B3/January ’B4 issue of Tu Tangata. May I congratulate you on an important magazine. Though I am not a New Zealand Maori, and know little of your culture, Tu Tangata provides a feast every two months. Because I am a manuiri I accept the content of the magazine as truth. It was therefore disappointing to discover in the centrefold pages of the above mentioned issue beautiful photographs of beautiful Maori women weavers, and none of their sister counterparts from the vast Pacific area. These photographs were taken at Pakirikiri, Tokomaru Bay, on Labour Weekend 1983, during The First National Maori and Pacific Island Weavers Hui. I know Tu Tangata caters to, and attempts to serve the needs of the New Zealand Maori population, therefore its pro-maori content is clearly obvious. But, for your information the Pacific Island weavers were an integral part of that first attempt at bringing weavers together, not just to share their beautifully useful art, as well, to weave the minds and hearts of our people. Perhaps you were not aware of that aspect of the hui.

I maringi ana te mamae o toku ngakau, a, kua maru i te ia nei, marino mei te roto o toku motu.

Uri mai e oa.

JOHNNY FBISBIE HEBENSTREIT