Sending the love to all my whanau at this special time. Thinking of you all...my beautiful cousin Joannie who passed away on my birthday...remembering the good times at the point, it was like camping to us little kids...remember marching down the hill with Shelley in the front holding a flag...eating peaches from a glass jar...running around the point...playing with my cousins...kisses on my forehead from grandad...just a few memories of my time at the point as a child...miss l my whanau xxx
Mia
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
The opening of the exhibition
Kia ora everyone,
the opening of the exhibition last Monday at the Auckland Central library was awesome. The kaumatua of Ngati Whatua came out in force and supported us a the library and since the opening we've had alot of people whanau from Orakei and supporters of that time sharing their korero. Today we had a 97 year old Orakei resident come in to have a look and remembers the day he got a arrested and had his day in court. He remembers feeling a sense of duty and obligation to support the people because they helped build the Orakei community centre.
Here are some photos from the opening:
the opening of the exhibition last Monday at the Auckland Central library was awesome. The kaumatua of Ngati Whatua came out in force and supported us a the library and since the opening we've had alot of people whanau from Orakei and supporters of that time sharing their korero. Today we had a 97 year old Orakei resident come in to have a look and remembers the day he got a arrested and had his day in court. He remembers feeling a sense of duty and obligation to support the people because they helped build the Orakei community centre.
Here are some photos from the opening:
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
A Bastion Point memory
The recollection I have comes from a time several years after the occupation of Bastion Point.
I was out of the country in 1978 when the eviction occurred, returning the following year to begin church-ministry training at St John's College, which is in sight of the Point about two kilometres to the south. In 1981 a number of staff and students at the College became involved in protests against the Springbok rugby tour. When that tour ended, in September I think, there was a big meeting of all the protest groups at Orakei Marae. By then we'd had protests every week and sometimes twice a week for several months. The most recent ones had been large and had got quite rowdy too. The rowdiest was at Eden Park, and a march in Queen Street had topped 10,000 people. We were all weary from protesting and it felt good to be looking back on what had happened. So when we gathered at the marae there was lots of relief and story telling. It’s funny now to think of us all gathered there looking out over Auckland City, and talking about racism as if it was all somewhere else, far away in South Africa. While that was a place most of us had never seen, we’d all learned a fair bit about South Africa's history, economy, and its ruling elite. Yet before that meeting at Orakei, at the end of the Springbok Tour I'd never heard the names Ngati Whatua or Takaparawha. While I could have pointed out Okahu Bay I still knew nothing of Auckland’s sprawling history as it had carved and swallowed the hills and gullies right up to the edge of where we stood that day. And to those in other houses, on other hills, Bastion Point was still looking like prime real estate and their readiness to start the carving up again had never disappeared. I have since learned that Ihowa often teaches from the outside-in, gradually bringing our attention back from the horizon to what is right at our feet. When the meeting ended a group of us went up to join in prayers at the graveside of little Joanne Hawke, who had died in a fire during the Occupation. As we walked back down the hill after the service Joanne’s aunt Rene Hawke said; "I’m feeling really, really jealous". None of us said anything and we just kept walking in silence. I had no idea what Rene meant. Then she said; "I'm jealous about the protests. All over this country there've been protests. All those people marched in Queen Street last week. When are people going to start marching for us?" It took a while for us to take this in. Over the next few weeks several of our teachers guided us into understanding not only the historical picture but also where to put ourselves as that history unfolded. I came to understand what we had been asked as a very special thing – sacred really. We all found different ways of answering. Mary Kippenberger created a wonderful jigsaw display-presentation which showed the loss of land over time and she began taking it round churches and other groups in Auckland. One night it was stolen from her car, so she made another one and took it all around the country. And later in 1981 we joined in renewed protests up at the Point. There was talk of another occupation. For those still coveting beautiful Takaparawha I think it helped to remind them; “Bastion Point is Maori Land!”
No reira, ka manaakitaka a te Matua Nui i te Raki kia koutou katoa.
Na Rob Ritchie
Otautahi/Christchurch
I was out of the country in 1978 when the eviction occurred, returning the following year to begin church-ministry training at St John's College, which is in sight of the Point about two kilometres to the south. In 1981 a number of staff and students at the College became involved in protests against the Springbok rugby tour. When that tour ended, in September I think, there was a big meeting of all the protest groups at Orakei Marae. By then we'd had protests every week and sometimes twice a week for several months. The most recent ones had been large and had got quite rowdy too. The rowdiest was at Eden Park, and a march in Queen Street had topped 10,000 people. We were all weary from protesting and it felt good to be looking back on what had happened. So when we gathered at the marae there was lots of relief and story telling. It’s funny now to think of us all gathered there looking out over Auckland City, and talking about racism as if it was all somewhere else, far away in South Africa. While that was a place most of us had never seen, we’d all learned a fair bit about South Africa's history, economy, and its ruling elite. Yet before that meeting at Orakei, at the end of the Springbok Tour I'd never heard the names Ngati Whatua or Takaparawha. While I could have pointed out Okahu Bay I still knew nothing of Auckland’s sprawling history as it had carved and swallowed the hills and gullies right up to the edge of where we stood that day. And to those in other houses, on other hills, Bastion Point was still looking like prime real estate and their readiness to start the carving up again had never disappeared. I have since learned that Ihowa often teaches from the outside-in, gradually bringing our attention back from the horizon to what is right at our feet. When the meeting ended a group of us went up to join in prayers at the graveside of little Joanne Hawke, who had died in a fire during the Occupation. As we walked back down the hill after the service Joanne’s aunt Rene Hawke said; "I’m feeling really, really jealous". None of us said anything and we just kept walking in silence. I had no idea what Rene meant. Then she said; "I'm jealous about the protests. All over this country there've been protests. All those people marched in Queen Street last week. When are people going to start marching for us?" It took a while for us to take this in. Over the next few weeks several of our teachers guided us into understanding not only the historical picture but also where to put ourselves as that history unfolded. I came to understand what we had been asked as a very special thing – sacred really. We all found different ways of answering. Mary Kippenberger created a wonderful jigsaw display-presentation which showed the loss of land over time and she began taking it round churches and other groups in Auckland. One night it was stolen from her car, so she made another one and took it all around the country. And later in 1981 we joined in renewed protests up at the Point. There was talk of another occupation. For those still coveting beautiful Takaparawha I think it helped to remind them; “Bastion Point is Maori Land!”
No reira, ka manaakitaka a te Matua Nui i te Raki kia koutou katoa.
Na Rob Ritchie
Otautahi/Christchurch
Friday, May 16, 2008
Thank you for continuing to educate us and to show what Ngati Whatua are modeling for the world to see. It is so impressive to read the history, consider the catalyst that Bastion Point did represent and understand the justice that did eventually flow as a result of the courageous actions of the initial few.
J. Illington, Canada
J. Illington, Canada
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Sunday, May 11, 2008
May 25, 1978
This brings huge emotion Alec…. I remember standing up there watching this long line of army trucks and stuff winding up the hill and helicopters overhead and thinking that it felt as though this was South Africa or somewhere. It was so surreal.
I remember feeling bitter about the high numbers of Maori in the police who came to arrest us – it seemed as though they had deliberately rounded up all the Maori police in the country and sent them there.
I remember my husband of the time fleeing to stand outside the gates as soon as we were told to vacate the premises, and holding my ground…I think that was the beginning of the end of that
I remember the whare, that whare mahana, being dismantled by scab labour and how painful that was for me to watch and thinking how very much more painful for all those who had kept those fires burning for so long
I remember standing there arms linked together singing as Auntie exhorted us to hold to peace and not to fight
I remember the police captain refusing to allow a prayer….
I remember a really young policeman pleading with me – “please miss, please come quietly” as he manhandled me out through the gate as gently as he could – I was very visibly hapu at the time. And I remember struggling not to be dragged and being bitterly disappointed that he didn’t arrest me which was what I wanted that day to show my support and my anger that this could happen.
And I remember tears running down my face every single time I showed the movie of that day to my university students…
30 years, Alec. 30 years.
Kei te mokemoke au, kei te tangi….
Nga mihi whanui, nga mihi aroha kia koe, kia kotuou te whanau, kia koutou katoa o nga whanau o Ngati Whatua.
Ake ake ake
Makere Stewart-Harawira
I remember feeling bitter about the high numbers of Maori in the police who came to arrest us – it seemed as though they had deliberately rounded up all the Maori police in the country and sent them there.
I remember my husband of the time fleeing to stand outside the gates as soon as we were told to vacate the premises, and holding my ground…I think that was the beginning of the end of that
I remember the whare, that whare mahana, being dismantled by scab labour and how painful that was for me to watch and thinking how very much more painful for all those who had kept those fires burning for so long
I remember standing there arms linked together singing as Auntie exhorted us to hold to peace and not to fight
I remember the police captain refusing to allow a prayer….
I remember a really young policeman pleading with me – “please miss, please come quietly” as he manhandled me out through the gate as gently as he could – I was very visibly hapu at the time. And I remember struggling not to be dragged and being bitterly disappointed that he didn’t arrest me which was what I wanted that day to show my support and my anger that this could happen.
And I remember tears running down my face every single time I showed the movie of that day to my university students…
30 years, Alec. 30 years.
Kei te mokemoke au, kei te tangi….
Nga mihi whanui, nga mihi aroha kia koe, kia kotuou te whanau, kia koutou katoa o nga whanau o Ngati Whatua.
Ake ake ake
Makere Stewart-Harawira
Friday, May 9, 2008
Remembrance and Reconciliation Ceremony 25 May
Remembrance and Reconciliation Ceremony 10am Sunday 25th May,Orakei Marae
A ceremony at Orakei Marae to bring together those that were arrested, representatives of the Police, the Army and Government members of all parties, as well as many prominent Pakeha, Maori and Pacific Islanders who played a role in the Bastion Point. Public is also welcome.
10am - Powhiri
11am - Remembrance & Reconciliation Ceremony
12noon – Whenua walk to Memorial
1-30pm – Hakari
For more information contact
Alec Hawke
09 528 6747
bastionpoint@gmail.com
The Exhibition: 19 May - 30 May
Auckland Central Library, Lorne Street, Level 2, Auckland
A tribute to those that demonstrated their concerns with passion for the acknowledgement of rights and entitlements to Takaparawhau (Bastion Point).
The theme of the exhibition will be highlighted with ephemera, documents, photographs, literature and newspaper publications. Many display pieces will be from private collections kindly provided by individuals present at the eviction and re-occupation.
For more information check it out here:
Reflection - Bastion Point: 30 years on
Thirty years ago, protesters faced off with 700 police, army, navy and the government over plans to develop Ngati Whatua ancestral land at Bastion Point. This month on May 25, 2008 the protagonists will again meet to mark the 30th anniversary of that day in 1978 when 222 people were arrested in a massive show of force that has been called a defining moment in New Zealand history.
Were you there? Did you hear about it? Then tell us your stories...
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