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Brown Power Otaki

D. Clemens

S.C.M. had looked around for a controversial contemporary issue, and came up with a concern for the status and role of Maoris in New Zealand society. But it that was what they really intended to discuss the label 'Brown Power' for the seminal was extremely misleading. With all the connotations this highly emotive label carries, none of them express, the essence of an emerging group such as Nga Tamatoa, some of whose members had been sponsored from Auckland to speak on the subject For Nga Tamatoa are essentially traditionalists. This fact took quite a while to sink into the minds of the conscientious white liberal students that were there and it had obviously not occurred to the organiser.

As Taura Eruera expressed at the Opening of his informal address: "Brown Power. Okay, let's have some definitions of Brown Power." (Silence) "Okay, who was it that put down the label 'Brown Power' for this thing? It is interesting to note that Te Reo Maori in Wellington are a little bit upset about this label, 'Brown Power', and I don't really blame them, because it's such a nebulous phrase that is thrown around the Press with the same regularity as left-wing, militant, and radical. Our kind of people don't really know what it's about."

No one took it upon themselves to explain how the misnomer had arisen. One can only assume it was from generalising the whole of Nga Tamatoa's attitudes and aims from a single erroneously reported example of activity, ie, Waitangi Day, 1971, where the 'flag-burning' was of course the only thing that happened. To then infer an overall similarity with black militant groups in the United States was a result of the organisers not doing then homework. Stereotypes are obviously very misleading bases to frame any discussion around.

But not only was the subject definition questioned, but also the motives of the hundred or so students and others who had turned out for the weekend. Tom Poata (a supporter of the Kotahitangi Movement, the Secretary for M.O.O.H.R., truck driver, and very concerned about his people) asked; "Do you really want to know about them (Maoris)? I think you just want to put on a phony act, similar to the phrase 'some of my best friends are Maori.' I've done my bit. chop it right there. Unfortunately you get in the intellectual world, and I've been to some of these meetings, discussions that have only been intellectual exercises for some people." He was backed up by Father Callaghan who added in agreement, "I am always aware that in a student group this is an intellectual exercise Manapouri has cooled off, Vietnam is sort of Washed out, so we'll take up the Maoris. Well, the Maoris can do Without you. Protest in New Zealand is the cheapest form of escapism, and spare the Maori any protest or mental gymnastics. We can be spared the people who are looking around for a cause to espouse until they graduate. The pakeha's role in this whole situation is that of listening, following, and learning. This is foreign when it is a brown skinned person you have, to follow, a brown skinned person you have to learn from, this comes hard. If you don't think it comes hard to you, go and see how your parents feel about it What's your reason for getting involved?"

It is not surprising that the Maoris and pakehas with some insight into Maori values and attitude were suspicious of the motives of many at the seminar, for the level of ignorance and over-reaction to many issues raised was depressingly high, and in spite of attempts to explain things, quite a few points were brought up again, and again, and again. The general pattern that prevailed initially at the seminar; was along these lines. A Maori, or a pakeha with a deep understanding of Maori culture, would begin to speak on a specific area, when a remark, framed logically within the context of traditional Maori values, would spark off a reaction from a pakeha who couldn't understand the point of view taken For example the debate concerning oral tradition, that stemmed from Taura Eruera's comments about the 'Maori Wars'.

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Taura Eruera: "The stuff I've read in the history books, and the stuff I've heard from my kaumatua are entirely different... When I ask, 'Why don't you tell the pakeha our side of the story?' he says, 'Why should I? They'll just go and put it in Whitcombe & Tombs, and sell it all over the country. Nothing's sacred anymore.' . . .The Maori has retreated with his soul from the Pakeha. Out in the street he'll talk to you, in the pub he'll drink with you, no friction there, but he's not going to tell you many things...the deep things. They don't let this information go too lightly. They pick out their own people that they are going to tell in their own tribe...this stuff is treasured."

Pakeha reaction (a male): "Isn't that a ludicrous statement in itself? How do you expect to educate and disseminate if you involve this restrictive attitude which I believe works throughout the traditional Maori hierarchy. And you will have to break that down for a start. I believe that as far as arts and crafts are concerned, it was traditional for a very long period of time, that only-the upper structure classes would be handed these skills. If only certain people are going to be told about the true history of the 'Maori Wars', then what's the use of it? You can't say this is good, or an indication of Maori cultural pride as that's a bad side of it."

From the floor. "But you're just taking the narrow European view of the whole point of knowledge."

Cathy Dewes: "When you're talking about oral traditions, you are talking about the values our old people have. You obviously don't understand anything about how our old people think. They are still rigidly adhering to the values of the past, and their oral traditions were only passed on to certain people in order to ensure the accuracy of the traditions... These are the kind of barriers that we have to try and somehow bend a little, in order to make you Pakeha understand us. These old people find it hard to understand what's going around today, they can see what's happening, they can perhaps gain an understanding, hut they find it hard to change their old way of life, And this passing on of tradition to anyone, writing it down on paper even, is something quite foreign to them, and something they will have to learn... There is still the fear that it will be mutilated, there is also a fear that has arisen just recently that the pakeha will exploit sacred things, things really sacred to the Maori. There have been quite a few cases where pakeha research workers have gone into rural areas, done beautiful case studies of these beautiful Maoris in these lovely areas. Then they have gone back, written theses, published them, and given nothing back to the people. So any research workers going back now, especially if they are pakeha, but even if they are Maori, if they smell anything of people that are going to pick their brains there is suspicion against them right from the start."

Question from the floor. "When you say that nothing has been given back to them, what do you mean by that? As far as I'm concerned that gentleman's accusation of the narrow European view of knowledge is hogwash. As far as I'm concerned, any knowledge that is disseminated, is going to enhance. If it is wrong, you can stand up and criticise it, if it's right, then you can stand up and say it is. To say that you are not going to hand it on because you fear that somebody is going to misinterpret you, you might as well stop."

Kathy Dewes: "But as I was trying to explain, this is something that has come from the past, an attitude that was part of our old culture, and still basically part of the new. One thing that pakeha find it hard to understand is the whole cultural tradition of Maoridom. You only pass on precious knowledge to the right people at the right time. This is a different cultural outlook, to the European, but I still feel it should be properly respected. It is still valid within Maori culture."

Another feature of the seminar that caused an over-reaction, was the consciousness of worth of being a Maori felt and conveyed to the predominantly pakeha audience, by the Te Reo Maori and Tamatoa members. This pride in oneself as a Maori cut across the built-in superiority complexes of a few pakeha present. Many reacted to statements such as that from Cathy Dewes, in a manner which appeared to convey that they were uncertain as to whether the self assuredness was not tantamount to arrogance, and if so, whether they were actually being pitited for not being a Maori themselves.

And what is it then, to be a Maori, and how does one go about to begin to approach an understanding of the feelings involved?

Cathy Dewes: If you want to feel how a Maori feels in most Pakeha society, then go along to a marae. Go through that ritual and that ceremony at which you represent the minority culture. It'll scare hell out of you, but I'm certain once you've been through it, once you've got the guts to meet the Maori on Maori terms, we'll understand each other much better.

You are asking me in a way to describe what my intestines are like while they are still inside my body in perfect working condition. I feel sorry for you as I feel great, in fact I feel superior to you Pakeha because I know that what I've got is so much more than what you've got. Come and live with us, go on the marae. When you ask us to describe our culture, you're asking the impossible, for you've got to come and feel it yourselves, I really feel sorry for you."

Pakeha reaction: "I think that attitude is little short of patronizing. I didn't ask you to describe to me your innermost soul, I couldn't describe mine to you. All I said was you don't seem to listen and interpret, I wanted an objective analysis of certain institutions...." the speaker was at this point interrupted by those who could no longer sit listening to such pakeha-specific value judgements. It was revealed after some questions that the person had never been on a marae in his life, nor did he even understand the meaning of the term 'Pakeha'. He was thus qualified only to express basic prejudices, and having done so, wasn't present at the summing up session on the Sunday afternoon. Others present were more tolerant, and began to move into a better understanding of what was being asked of them. Remarks such as the following one, contributed towards this.

Maroitangi is emotional, you can't simply analyse speeches and songs, they are elements to recognise, but how can you work out an objective analysis of waiata, of how deep it is?

To learn the Maori language is the best way to start to really understand the complexities of the feelings Maoris attach to things like their Land, the Triti O Waitangi, in fact, to understand their whole cultural system. Any attempt the Pakeha makes to adopt certain features of Maori culture, and integrate them into the New Zealand setting, is a failure to comprehend the nature of culture itself. For one's culture is an overall way of evaluating and responding to one's environment. Inherent difficulties arise when a person of a European cultural background tries to adopt the parts of Maori culture that he can reconcile with his own values and life style, for the only alternative is to discard and ignore those areas which are felt to be irrelevant or unmeaningful. A case in point is the much talked of 'urban marae' concept, (note that none are as yet in existence). The pakeha sees it as a good idea to counteract the alienation of people that occurs in the cities. But his appreciation of a marae extends little further than regarding it as a glorified community centre. Bound up in a marae is the whole value the Maori attaches to tradition. A marae is a totally different way of life to a Y.M.C.A., or a morgue, or Parliament, or a registry office, or a university - for it is in fact a constellation of all of these functions. For a Maori to return to his marae, he is identifying with past events and his ancestors. His presence indicates a continuation of the marae activities into the future. Apart from the feelings concerning the marae, each tribe has a different way of setting them out as well as different ways of conducting the ceremonies.

These factors must all be born in mind when one considers setting up an urban marae. In the cities the different tribes with their individual expectations concerning their particular marae will be attending the same urban marae. Whose way of doing things should prevail? Questions like these wilt have to be gone into thoroughly before the urban marae can become a physical reality.

Overall the seminar did little to define the limits of its topic, nor was it more than marginally discussed. Thankfully this meant that something was gained from the seminar by those who bothered to stay and have their preconceptions exploded, and their minds undefrosted into the realities of what it is like to be a member of a brown skinned cultural minority in this green and pleasant land. Perhaps S.C.M. should attempt to mend its well-meaning record by arranging a return match with a 'Mongrel' type confrontation, if they really want to discover what militancy means. But maybe they're not ready for such crude unrefined reality yet.