He rerenga korero

Tu Tangata, Issue 22, 1 February 1985, Page 8

He rerenga korero

I - he points raised in the accompanying articles about the rearing of our I Maori children make for some hard deductions. If the reader accepts only partly what the writer is saying, future

generations of Maori children are being affected by the loss of a vibrant culture.

That’s not to say other native races, including Europeans, have not gone through the same trauma. It’s just that at a time when New Zealand is trying on a new identity as an independent nation in the South Pacific, it would be appropriate to find out what the real basis of our identity is.

No society’s culture survives but through its young. That is the reason for kohanga reo, as pointed out in another article in this issue.... Maatua Whangai is also a current response to looking after our youth and the future they represent for the Maori culture.

For what is the point of marae and meeting houses if our youth spend more time in borstals and prisons.

What is the use of fine oratory if there is no one to speak out on behalf of the youth in the courts.

What is the function of haka if our youth are dancing to someone elses tune.

And what use is traditional spiritual concepts if alcohol and drugs and self become the god.