In the long run the Prime Minister's most transformative decision may be the requirement to teach NZ history in all schools from next year, ensuring some level of basic historical literacy about our country's past for younger generations. That will be powerful if done well.
To judge by some of the messages and responses I have received in the last few days, at least some of the anti-vax crowd have pivoted towards also opposing the new Aotearoa NZ Histories curriculum.
Reported a NZ-based account that regularly threatens to execute the Prime Minister, the Opposition leader and many others. Twitter says it does not breach their safety policies. If not this, what would?
Under the Education and Training Act 2020 NZ universities should act as 'a critic and conscience of society'. A senior government minister publicly announcing plans for retribution against an academic because they don't like the opinions expressed by them is deeply troubling.
#OnThisDay
12 July 1863: The invasion of Waikato begins, British troops crossing the Mangatāwhiri. But an ultimatum giving the appearance Māori have been given one final chance to comply with the Crown's demands before being attacked is still being drafted in Auckland.
#NZWars
Good on the Ministry of Justice public servants involved for pointing out that Act's proposed principles bear no relationship to the actual contents of Te Tiriti.
"The establishment of Māori wards did not mean Māori voters had an extra vote. Instead, Māori could chose to vote in a Māori ward instead of a general ward for councils that opted to establish that option."
I suspect many people do not know this fact.
"Aotearoa’s first capital, Russell, could soon go back to its original Māori name of Kororāreka.
The Bay of Islands town was well known as Kororāreka until the early 1840s and many in the community still call the town by that name."
"The study found students who missed a meal even just once a week scored much lower than their peers who never went hungry, showing they were two to four years behind in their learning."
When Britain's Parliament passed the New Zealand Constitution Act in 1852, their assumption was that most Māori would not be subject to the authority of the NZ Parliament to be established under it but would instead continue to govern their own affairs under section 71.
Today marks 180 years since the first shots were fired in the
#NZWars
at Wairau, when the New Zealand Company's illegal efforts to survey and occupy lands to which it had no title resulted in conflict.
A quick question for people still using the NZ covid tracer app (and, really, we should all be doing that): do you scan into your own workplace every day you arrive?
#OnThisDay
9 July 1863: Māori communities at Māngere, Ihumātao and elsewhere between Auckland and Waikato are given an ultimatum to swear an oath of allegiance to the Crown or immediately leave. The invasion of Waikato begins three days later.
#NZWars
Several of my family members are supermarket workers. They are doing incredible and essential jobs under very stressful conditions. Let's all be kind to them.
#OnThisDay
9 July 1863: Māori communities at Māngere, Ihumātao and elsewhere between Auckland and Waikato are given an ultimatum to swear an oath of allegiance to the Crown or immediately leave. The invasion of Waikato begins three days later.
#NZWars
This is horrible.
@NZembassyUS
needs to intervene to try and stop this abuse.
Kiwi at Miami Zoo being shown under bright lights and handled by visitors
The final straw for me was being told today the next available appointment to visit the Wellington reading room is in two weeks. I have previously told Archives their cuts in public access are delaying research for Treaty claims and Takutai Moana applications. They don't care.
The multitude of deeply ignorant and racist responses to this tweet demonstrate exactly why the new Aotearoa NZ Histories curriculum is so essential (and also how cooked this platform has become).
It would be great if NZ media could use an agreed hashtag or something for the Christchurch terrorist when sharing stories on Twitter so that those of us who don't want to see images of him or hear his statements during sentencing could mute it.
How about a 'Pākehā' box for the census form with an option to write in below where you or your ancestors came from? I imagine that second tier of information could be useful for all kinds of researchers.
#OnThisDay
3 December 1863: The New Zealand Settlements Act is passed into law, enabling the Crown to confiscate 3.4 million acres of Māori land. Here's a piece I wrote on the historical background to the legislation for
@etangata
a few years ago.
Maybe the new
@NZStuff
TV news could try something different and have a nightly arts and literature news segment. Needn't be long, even 3 minutes would be more than we usually see at the moment (unless a NZer wins the Booker), and lots of people would watch just for that.
I'm travelling up to Auckland in the morning to do another round of school visits talking
#NZWars
history. Timely, no doubt. But we need a better and more comprehensive framework for ensuring rangatahi (and others) have access to our history.
Congratulations to the new Chief Archivist on the appointment. Archives NZ faces some big challenges in terms of restoring public confidence in it as an institution, but hopefully progress can be made with a willingness to listen to researchers' concerns.
Despicable that school students trying to get to their bus stop or wherever are being abused by these people for wearing masks. If this is still going next week, lots of Wellingtonians (me included) would be happy to volunteer to escort them past the protesters.
Chris Finlayson, who negotiated a number of co-governance arrangements under the previous National government, on why these should be 'embraced, not feared'.
'"Māori increasingly drew on the Irish comparison, seeking and finding parallels in the situations of the two peoples. In 1879 the Northern Māori MP, Hone Mohi Tawhai, told Parliament..."I am an Irishman".'
What a ridiculous and offensive comparison.
University’s action of having segregated areas for Māori and Pasifika students ‘comparable to Ku Klux Klan’, says Winston Peters, via
@nzherald
#OnThisDay
9 July 1863: Māori communities at Māngere, Ihumātao and elsewhere between Auckland and Waikato are given an ultimatum to swear an oath of allegiance to the Crown or immediately leave. The invasion of Waikato begins three days later.
#NZWars
Hugely exciting to receive the Prime Minister’s award for literary achievement in non-fiction, especially considering the incredible list of previous recipients. Hearty congratulations to the other winners.
With the 175th anniversary of the battle of Ruapekapeka being commemorated this weekend, it is a great time to watch the award-winning 'Stories of Ruapekapeka', presented by
@Mihi_Forbes
Executive producer
@huihoppa
#NZWars
#Ruapekapeka
Sad to hear that Dr Angela Ballara has died. She was a very fine historian, the author of several excellent books, and a hardworking member of the Waitangi Tribunal. Moe mai rā.
You have to book days in advance to get a precious few hours at Archives NZ at the moment. I get down there for my assigned day this morning only to be told it has closed suddenly because of the idiot anti-vaxxers at Parliament.
#OnThisDay
20 November 1863: The Rangiriri battle begins when about 500 Māori men, women and children occupying Rangiriri pā are attacked by about 1400 British troops. This Tohu Maumahara (symbol of remembrance) was unveiled on the 149th anniversary of the battle in 2012.
#NZWars
I have a new history column in the latest NZ Geographic magazine. This one concerns the significance of Queen Elizabeth's 1953 visit to Tūrangawaewae and how the NZ government attempted to block it.
Details of my
#NZWars
talk in Paraparaumu this Sunday.
Have been warned that some people with rather unsavoury views on these matters might be planning to attend so if you are up with the kaupapa and in the area on the day it would be great to get your support.
Tainui, under Te Puea Herangi, feeding hungry Pākehā during the Depression despite being reduced to poverty themselves as a result of land confiscations.
The
#NZWars
were not a 'skirmish' and Māori casualty rates in many districts were vastly higher in relative terms than those suffered by NZ troops during WWI. At Tūranga (Gisborne) around 1 in 5 of the Māori population was killed in just four years.
#OnThisDay
21 February 1864: the settlement of Rangiaowhia is attacked by British and colonial troops, despite being a place of sanctuary for women, children and the elderly.
#NZWars
I think it would be helpful if
@EducationGovtNZ
put out an alert to all schools regarding Tross Publishing, the racist contents of their works and the tactics they employ to try and get their books in schools.
#OnThisDay
12 July 1863: The Crown's invasion of Waikato begins as British troops cross the Mangatāwhiri. But a sham ultimatum appearing to offer Māori one final chance to comply with the Crown's demands before being attacked is still being drafted in Auckland.
#NZWars
Actual historian responding to a paper of mine: there is "little convincing historical evidence in the English text of the Treaty" that Māori were promised control over their own affairs and it is "hyperbolic" to say settler governments were "hostile" to Māori interests.
Great to see these Te Ara Wai posts now installed at many Waikato War sites, making it easier to identify the right location (along with the app). This is the one from Hairini, site of a significant battle on 22 February 1864 and not previously marked in any way.
#NZWars
Pleased to hear the Minister of Education on
@TheHuiNZ
today committing to enhanced teaching of
#NZHistory
in schools - 'the good, the bad, and the ugly'. We need to own our history and provide the necessary resources and support to ensure rangatahi learn about it.
Thanks everyone for all the lovely messages of congratulations on the Ockhams win and apologies for not responding to them all individually. Do know I appreciate them all greatly.
Like many people, I installed the NZ covid tracer app ages ago but never used it. That changed this week. Logging every visit now. Very simple to use. Also got the QR code poster for
@HistoryWorksNZ
- real easy process.
"The reason [the myth of Moriori extinction] became so powerfully ingrained in the psyche of New Zealanders is because, if Māori could push Moriori out of NZ, then later European migrants could push Māori off their land.”
A lovely question from one of the history students at Papatoetoe High School this morning:
"We're all historians here. What tips or advice would you give us younger ones?'
"There's no way my old history teacher will be at the
@NZHTA
conference. I can safely tell my anecdote about him refusing to teach us
#NZHistory
because it's "boring".
(After my talk): "Hi, remember me? I'm your old history teacher".
A pretty exhausting but exhilarating couple of days talking
#NZWars
history with school students in Auckland. Young people really get why this history matters for them and their communities. And lots of great questions! Our rangatahi give me a lot of hope for the future.
Ngāi Tahu: Around 34 million acres acquired by the Crown for approximately 14,750 pounds, plus 37,000 acres in reserves.
Waikto-Tainui: 1.2 million acres confiscated.
Treaty settlements: A tiny fraction of the value of these lands.
Such an encouraging poll result!
Majority of New Zealanders want Treaty of Waitangi lessons to be made compulsory in schools - 1 NEWS poll via
@1NewsNZ