Issue 92 - editorial

Up in the air

Well the country has survived another Waitangi Day – the 170th since the signing of the treaty. The Maori flag flew on the Auckland Harbour bridge alongside the New Zealand flag and amazingly the bridge didn’t fall down; furthermore the sun continues to come up in the east each day and set in the west. Representatives of the diplomatic corps – the ambassadors and high commissioners from other
countries – went back to Waitangi this year after an absence of 15 years. Its actually pathetic that they’ve stayed away so long.

Interestingly while the country continues to struggle with coming to terms with its Maori heritage and accepting Maori processes and institutions, our largest newspaper – the New Zealand Herald – has kicked off a debate to find a new flag.

Waitangi Day also tends to be a time when we are challenged about our colonial past when Maori tend to remind other New Zealanders that their arrival here was not all smooth and dandy and that there are still legacies from that time that need to be settled.

Most New Zealanders don’t know about our troubled early contacts, many don’t want to know, and some simply try to deny it or say it has nothing to do with them. But Judith Binney’s new book Encircled Lands, which we review in this issue, has just made it harder to hide from the unpalatable truth of the deception, theft and dirty deals perpetrated on Maori in the 1800s and early 1900s.

Unfortunately of course the people who really need to read this book – won’t.

Our cover story is one of tenacity and enterprise against seemingly insurmountable odds. When Phill Hooker was five years old he had a dream, and while people told him it wasn’t possible, he wouldn’t accept that and has gone on to fulfil and live out his dream.

The fact that I too am a pilot has got absolutely nothing to do with the story selection I hasten to add.

And what’s in a name? Well you’ll find out when you read Rachel Buchanan’s piece. Her curiosity to find out why her larger than life grandmother had a Maori name has been a revelation to her – and may do the same for other seemingly Pakeha New Zealanders.

As usual there is lots of other excellent reading and we hope you’ll enjoy Mana 92 as much as we have in bringing it to you.

Hei kona mo tenei wa.