Bastion Point is Maori Land - Lecture by David Williams

Wednesday, June 18
12.30-1.30pm
AuckLand University
Dr. Williams (Ngāti Pākehā) is Deputy Dean of Law at The University of Auckland. As a political activist (Secretary of the Citizens Association for Racial Equality [CARE]), an honorary legal adviser to claimants, a legal academic and as an historical consultant he has been passionately involved in Tiriti o Waitangi issues in many rohe since 1975. In particular he has collaborated closely with Ngāti Whatua o Ōrakei). Living in Rukutai Street, Ōrakei, he was involved on a nearly daily basis with the 507 day occupation of Bastion Point/Takaparawhau in 1977 and 1978. He brought a court case against the Crown during that time and assisted Joe Hawke in the hearing of the Wai 1 claim to the Waitangi Tribunal.

In this talk Dr. Williams will reflect on the significance of the Bastion Point occupation 30 years ago. He will note its importance in breaking down the complacency of Pākehā concerning race relations in Aotearoa New Zealand, and in furthering the surge of Māori activism often called the Māori cultural renaissance of the 1970s and 1980s. He will acknowledge the ground-breaking role of the small urban hapū of Ngāti Whatua o Ōrakei in changing the political landscape for the Aotearoa New Zealand that we live in now, and he will express his optimism for the future of Ngāti Whatua as the mana whenua people of Tāmaki Makaurau.

For more information go to: http://www.manu-ao.ac.nz