The Struggle for Ihumātao webinar
The Struggle for Ihumātao webinar was held on 30th March 2020.
Ihumātao is a rare cultural, historical, and ancestral landscape on the shores of the Manukau Harbour. Pania Newton, lawyer and activist provides an overview of the history of the whenua and her people’s kaitiakitanga over 1,000 years of continuous occupation where 1,110 acres of land were confiscated with less than 50 remaining. She describes ongoing treaty breaches from 1950s to 2000s, then the formation of the Save Our Unique Landscape (SOUL) campaign; a great example of how biculturalism should look, led by kuia and rangatahi, supported by Pākehā allies. She explains ‘death by a thousand cuts’ where all legal and political means available were utilised (ToW, UN, Heritage NZ, courts) and the Parihaka inspired principles of peaceful, non-violent direct action. She perceives success as people connecting with the whenua and resonating with the kaupapa they are all working towards, and provides advice for rangatahi leadership and working with allies.
Kaikōrero / Speakers: Pania Newton
Ringa hāpai / Chair: Teah Carlson
This webinar was one of over 35 sessions during the Te Tiriti-based Futures & Anti-racism 2020 online conference, 21-30 March 2020, in Aotearoa New Zealand. Join the conversation in our Facebook group: http://bitly.com/decol2020