Wahine Maori fight for the Human Right to Housing
Three wahine Maori , Robyn Winther, Huia Tamaka and Billy Taylor fighting Housing NZ
attempts to evict them from their homes because of their gang connections. They have
had their appeal dismissed by the Court of Appeal.
This has been a long and arduous fight through the court system. Te Wharepora Hou
would like to congratulate these women for their tenacity & strength in fighting these
evictions all the way to the Court of Appeal.
Attacks on the civil rights of ‘gang’ members & their so called ‘associates’ are thinly
veiled attacks on flax roots Maori.
Housing New Zealand is a public body. The Bill of Rights applies to every decision
it makes. The right to housing is a basic human right. These wahine have fought for
shelter for themselves and their tamariki. Housing New Zealand has no right to trample
over the freedom of expression and freedom of association of these women and the 13
tamariki that they care for between them.
We are witnessing the abandonment by the government of any responsibility for
people's welfare. The treatment of these women looks like another step towards the
future privatisation of HNZ.
Huia Tamaka, 33, said today she was trying to keep her spirits up for her six children.
"I'm a bit shattered. It's so unfair. I haven't done anything wrong. [HNZ] know no-one's
going to house us after this. I've got nowhere else to go, so it's to the bitter end for me. I
can't give in, I've got the kids to think of."
After hearing the ruling yesterday the three women vowed to fight on.
Te Wharepora Hou wishes to give them and their tamariki our unqualified support
Contact
Sina Brown-Davis
uriohau@gmail.com
skype: temoananuakiwa
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Strong Opposition by Maori Women's Network to Takutai Moana Bill
MEDIA STATEMENT
Strong Opposition by Maori Women's Network to the Takutai Moana Bill
Te Whaainga Wahine the newly established organisation of Maori women call for the dumping of the new Marine and Coastal Area Bill (Takutai Moana Bill). Spokes people, Denise Messiter and Irene Kereama-Royal confirmed the opposition by Te Whaainga Wahine to the new bill saying it has weak foundations and like sand in the tide will significantly erode the treaty rights of all Maori.
This weekend, Te Whaainga Whaine will issue a direct challenge to the Maori Party members who currently support the bill, to actively acknowledge why they were elected by voting against the bill.
Te Whainga Wahine is committed to ensuring that Maori women’s voices are heard on issues and decisions that impact on whenua, whanau and hapu wellbeing and is calling for more accountability amongst Maori leadership
Media enquires:
Denise Messiter ph 07 868475 or 0276443359 email denise.messiter@xtra.co.nz
Irene-Kereama-Royal ph 0221571962 email ikereamaroyal@gmail.com
Monday, December 06, 2010
Whaainga Wahine Hui, Hauraki 2010 - Images
Images from Whaainga Wahine Hui 2010
Deidre Nehua, Sharon Venn (Cree Nation) Mereana Pitman, Te Ao Pritchard, Tuhipo Kereopa
Deidre Nehua
"Nana told us that the building blocks of our whakapapa were built on the sounds of birthing. When the Christians learnt of this they began to learn our reo was ‘a e I o u’ as it was ‘IO’ but the Christians did not accept that a culture could be derived from ‘IO’. Our atua became male when Christians arrived; however they were genderless not tane only; the atua moved into tane roles and wahine roles when required. We need to reclaim our rangatiratanga over our spirituality"
Sharon Venn, (Former Chair of the Indigenous Caucus, who drafted the original Declaration on the Rights of the Indigenous Peoples) Critical analysis of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNdRIP)
"The charter is there for nations but it was changed to ‘the charter of the united nations…assumed by the states…”
"affirming that indigenous peoples contribute to the diversity and richness of civilizations and cultures, which constitute the common heritage of humans’…however the ‘humans’ aspect have been removed. These are some of the crucial failings of the UNdRIP of which New Zealand has signed, it is far removed from the original intent of which many peoples, spent many years advocating. It is a poor replica of what the indigenous peoples have dreamt and fought for for many years. It is my belief that it should Nations should remove support for it immediately"
Helen Te Hira
My work with working people and working poor, of which the majority are not in Unions, are that our women will organise themselves as being in unions. Organisation is important when trying to engage in change, so working with your community is crucial to learn and grow and create change. What I'd like us to consider is how do women keep healthy and political, it is this energy that politicises both men and women. And it is crucial that women are politicised and participating at all levels because we can bring a perspective that is grounded in our values, whānau, tamariki, whenua, taking care of the whenua.
Noho Korero
Mereana Pitman
"Runanga are all constructs of the crown; I’m concerned with redefining us by the crown i.e. iwi organisations are crown; and the marginalization of hapu. Economic sovereignty has become the primary belief to achieving tino rangatiratanga and the basis for political control"
(Right) Professor Karina Walters, of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma from Great Turtle Island who spoke about historical trauma, the creation of lateral violence and the impact on Indigenous Women.
Wednesday, December 01, 2010
"Group Puts Role of Women Leaders into Public Debate" - Radio Watea
The absence of Wahine from the highest levels of decision making processes has been noted at all levels. This comment from Prime Minister, John Key as reported by Radio Waatea, Wed 1 Dec 2010,
GROUP PUTS ROLE OF WOMEN LEADERS INTO PUBLIC DEBATE
comment from PM John Key on Absence of Maori Women in Leaders Roles
Prime Minister John Key says a new group which aims to give Maori women a greater say in policy could make a valuable contribution to politics.
Te Whaainga Wahine was formed at a national hui at Thames on the weekend, and immediately launched a salvo at the Iwi Leaders Group and the struggle women have to be heard in traditional Maori forums.
Mr Key says he has noticed a shortage of women in the Iwi Leaders Group.
“Nayda Glavish tends to turn up but you don’t see a lot of other women there necessarily in those leadership positions. You can always do with some more and I think there are some extremely talented Maori women that I see in a variety of forums that I go to. You can see that they are the leaders of tomorrow so we shouldn’t give up home that there is a category of female leaders coming through in Maoridom like there is in the rest of New Zealand,” Mr Key says.
GROUP PUTS ROLE OF WOMEN LEADERS INTO PUBLIC DEBATE
comment from PM John Key on Absence of Maori Women in Leaders Roles
Prime Minister John Key says a new group which aims to give Maori women a greater say in policy could make a valuable contribution to politics.
Te Whaainga Wahine was formed at a national hui at Thames on the weekend, and immediately launched a salvo at the Iwi Leaders Group and the struggle women have to be heard in traditional Maori forums.
Mr Key says he has noticed a shortage of women in the Iwi Leaders Group.
“Nayda Glavish tends to turn up but you don’t see a lot of other women there necessarily in those leadership positions. You can always do with some more and I think there are some extremely talented Maori women that I see in a variety of forums that I go to. You can see that they are the leaders of tomorrow so we shouldn’t give up home that there is a category of female leaders coming through in Maoridom like there is in the rest of New Zealand,” Mr Key says.
Green Party Leader welcomes emergence of Wahine Network
This story published online from Tangata Whenua News, source Radio Watea regarding Metiria Turei's observations of the emergence of the Wahine Network, Te Whaainga Wahine.
Tangata Whenua News Story - Green Party Leader Welcomes emergence of Wahine Network
Ms Turei says it’s the sort of initiative that is needed in what is a time of massive economic and political change affecting Maori women and their children.Te Whaainga Wahine was formed at a national hui in Thames over the weekend to help women speak out at local, national and iwi level.
Tangata Whenua News Story - Green Party Leader Welcomes emergence of Wahine Network
Green Party Leader welcomes emergence of Wahine Network
Ms Turei says it’s the sort of initiative that is needed in what is a time of massive economic and political change affecting Maori women and their children.Te Whaainga Wahine was formed at a national hui in Thames over the weekend to help women speak out at local, national and iwi level.
You can’t necessarily say that because a leader or a political person is a woman that thy hold the kaupapa of women or particularly Maori women at the forefront of their mind. As a Maori woman in politics, what I always need is that strong political voice telling me when I do good and telling me when I do bad,” Ms Turei says.
Te Whaainga Wahine Hui - Media Coverage
Below are links to television reports on the Te Whaainga Wahine hui held in Hauraki. Please note, these news items are only available for a limited time. They will no longer screen after the 4 Dec 2010.
Extensive comments from Ani Mikaere on the kaupapa of the hui.
Extensive commentary from Annette Sykes on Wahine Maori leadership.
National Support for Te Whaainga Wahine Continues
This statement was received from Te Wharepora Hou, endorsing Te Whaainga Wahine We thank Te Wharepora Hou for their support in strengthening Wāhine Maori.
Tamaki Makaurau Hui Reaffirms Māori Women Leadership
Wed 01 December 2010
An Auckland group of Maori women, Te Wharepora Hou, are also calling for better representation of wahine across leadership forums.
Their statement echoes the challenge raised just this week by the newly formed national organisation of Maori women, Te Whaainga Wahine.
Auckland group Te Wharepora Hou has established itself alongside Te Whaainga Wahine. Te Wharepora Hou met for the first time last Thursday in Grey Lynn. The group affirmed their commitment to seeking social and political justice for Maori women.
This first hui acknowledged Maori women as “one of the most vulnerable groups whose indigenous and human rights are far too often not realised”. Participants again highlighted the need for wahine to be acknowledged as leaders in all decision making processes that impact on whenua, whānau and hapū wellbeing.
Te Wharepora Hou will provide a platform for Auckland wahine to seek solutions for their concerns and plan local action to compliment national action. They will meet again on 14 December and will continue to link with Te Whaainga Wahine in implementing their strategies.
Contact:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)