His street art is everywhere in Auckland, from the America’s Cup Village and Silo Park to community centres and bus stops. But the man behind the spray can is also an inspiring ultramarathoner who’s helping others in their weight loss battles. Street artist, ornithologist and ultra-distance athlete aren’t terms that normally go together. But Charles … Read more
The legislative changes are designed to improve renters’ rights, but will they make a difference to the people who have borne the brunt of the housing crisis? A Māori public health provider has welcomed new tenancy laws that came into effect this month, but is concerned the new rights haven’t been communicated to the most … Read more
Vodafone and Kiwibank have suspended advertising on the radio station and its website as talkback host John Banks is taken off air after yet another racist outburst. Alex Braae reports. In an alarming segment of talkback radio, former Auckland mayor John Banks endorsed the views of a caller who described Māori as a “stone age … Read more
Summer reissue: History warns that we should be wary of the misuse of power in the name of public health, writes Scott Hamilton. First published on April 2, 2020. Content warning: This feature contains distressing descriptions of racism against Māori. In the winter of 1913 a group of Māori appeared in the office of Arthur … Read more
Five years ago a group of local cousins began a campaign to stop a proposed Fletcher Building housing development and restore the whenua into iwi ownership. Yesterday a deal was signed paving the way for its return. Justin Latif speaks to the woman who started it all about how they defied the odds and the … Read more
Two Māori University of Auckland students tell Sherry Zhang about their struggle to get coffee with racist imagery removed from campus – and why they think it’s emblematic of a bigger problem. A few weeks ago, The Spinoff received a peculiar email: Subject: Auckland University Racist Coffee!! Body: Please investigate! Photos Attached: Caricatures of a … Read more
Instead of asking why so many Māori people are in prison, maybe we should be asking why we’ve created a prison system that’s obsessed with putting Māori people in it. If you don’t want to go to prison just don’t do any crimes, right? Unfortunately, it’s a little bit more complicated than that. When we … Read more
Charlotte Muru-Lanning lifts the lid on an intriguing legacy. First published December 9, 2020 When Māori Party MPs Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi were sworn into parliament last week, both wore impressive hats. Their top hat and cowboy hat drew mostly praise, but also some criticism and confusion. In fact, some responses bordered on horror. … Read more
A new series of videos uses comedy to debunk misinformation that’s proved to be particularly visible in South Auckland. Justin Latif spoke with local community leaders about why these theories find South Auckland such fertile ground, and what can be done to curtail their spread. “I have family who believes in all sorts of conspiracies … Read more
Tāmaki Makaurau is a city under construction, but are Māori and Pasifika architects and designers being given the opportunities they deserve? It seems everywhere you go in Auckland right now, there’s a new development of some sort. Whether it’s a new bridge, playground, some public housing or a refreshed streetscape, almost all these projects include … Read more
Leonie Hayden gets in her feelings about a shitty day for Māori women. There are days in my job where I feel nothing but hopeful. Like when I think about the work being done by Nuku100, telling the stories of 100 indigenous women. Or I get to wānanga with Donna Kerridge and Ayla Hoeta, or … Read more
Each week, two Tāmaki Makaurau community groups share a K Road cafe’s kitchen to support the local homeless community, and bring urban Māori together, through a simple, nourishing bowl of boil-up. Tangata whenua have always innovated within a changing environment. So, when Pākehā arrived in Aotearoa with new foods like pork, potatoes, pumpkin and flour, … Read more
Matt Renata was a constant presence at Ihumātao, assembling what he calls a ‘church of the good vibes’. He tells Justin Latif about tackling the sceptics, and his work with old friend Pania Newtown. “Why do you believe in this colonised God?” That’s the question Protect Ihumātao co-leader Pania Newton put to church-minister-in-training Matt Renata … Read more
This weekend’s Te Ahi Kōmau festival will celebrate South Auckland’s fiery volcanic past and amazing local produce. Justin Latif visited the marae as the hāngī pits were being dug in preparation. Not all superheroes wear capes and not all chefs wear a toque and apron. Anthony Adlam is one such chef, described as the master … Read more
The fourth episode of Conversations That Count – Ngā Kōrero Whai Take takes a look at the role that mātauranga Māori could – or should – play in shaping the future of our country. The principle of cooperation is a crucial one in te ao Māori – as the oft-deployed and co-opted whakataukī states, he waka eke noa. … Read more
Emma Espiner talks to Dr Maxine Ronald, the only wahine Māori consultant breast cancer surgeon in the world, about inequities in breast cancer outcomes for Māori. We were sitting in the clinic room, waiting for the last patient of the day. When she came in I recognised the Māori woman who had received a double … Read more
The National leader’s comments were rooted in political ideology rather than real-life experience, writes South Auckland nutritionist Mason Ngawhika, who believes the health of the community is a collective responsibility. I know virtually no one who is satisfied with their current weight or body composition. Meaning everyone I know is unable to take the personal … Read more
Auckland Council has relaunched its supplier diversity intermediary service with a new name and national focus. Community and social innovation manager Tania Pouwhare explains how this service could play a crucial role in New Zealand’s economic recovery. One of the rallying slogans of Covid has been that famous whakataukī “he waka eke noa” – the … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: For and against a four year term, Labour planning market studies on groceries and building supplies, and NIMBYs fighting youth hub in Christchurch. One of the major newslines out of Wednesday’s leaders’ debate was on a point of agreement between Ardern and Collins. During the quickfire … Read more
The Māori Party’s time in government with National proves the impact of minor parties isn’t always measurable by the number of bills they pass or the amount of funding they secure, but also its impact on the political tone, argues Ben Thomas. After Tuesday’s lacklustre leader’s debate, one question hung in the air: where were … Read more
As much of Auckland Council grapples with slashed budgets, one department has avoided major cuts and is enticing investment into South and West Auckland, Justin Latif reports. Covid came at just the worst time for Geoff McKay. The Māngere-based concreter had his van and all his tools stolen a week prior to the lockdown and, … Read more
E-commerce market Konei is showcasing local entrepreneurs, including a Māori-Sāmoan collaboration that combines te reo, coffee and chocolate into a delicious learning experience. He kawhe māu? Aē, koa! (Want a coffee? Yes, please!) Enjoying a coffee with a dollop of te reo just got a bit easier this week thanks to a pair of South … Read more
He’s fostered an image as an enigmatic underdog who proved his doubters wrong. But Robett Hollis has spent an extraordinary life trying to avoid being put in a box. Robett Hollis wears the same outfit everyday: a plain black shirt, a black fitted cap, and a pair of Nikes. It’s his uniform, he says. When … Read more
Māori women are far more likely to experience perinatal distress. Reclaiming traditional practices has helped many wahine Māori find better mental health outcomes, writes Arihia Latham. The story of Hine-tītama, the guardian of the dawn, becoming Hine-nui-te-pō, the atua of death, resonates with my experiences of becoming a mother. She was the child of Tāne-mahuta … Read more
Covid-19 has changed how all families grieve, but for Pasifika and Māori whānau, it’s disrupted centuries-old traditions, as well as affecting how these families affirm their cultural identity. When a Samoan dies, the home of the deceased will become the focal point for their community for a two- to three-week period. It’s not uncommon for … Read more
The pandemic exposed inequality in different communities, but it also revealed solutions. This is the first essay in a new series examining the effects of Covid-19 on New Zealand, in partnership with Te Pūnaha Matatini. By Anna Matheson, Krushil Watene, Grace Vujnovich, Turei Mackey. The kids sang and danced. Parents and supporters carried trays of … Read more
Our communities need us to listen to the people who have dedicated their lives to making ours better – not those who only want to exploit our fears, writes Christine Ammunson. One in five Sāmoans died when the 1918 pandemic hit our homes. Through whispers I remember elderly aunts recalling the horror of watching the … Read more
The introduction of a $3,100 fee for returning New Zealanders will disadvantage Māori disproportionately, Phoebe Carr (Ngāti Awa, Ngāi Tūhoe) and Max Harris argue. The government has once again failed to honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi by rushing through legislation to introduce exorbitant managed isolation fees for returning New Zealanders. This fee will have massive … Read more
When do we get a prime minister who looks like New Zealand, asks Laura O’Connell Rapira. I want a Māori prime minister. I want a trans Samoan deputy prime minister and I want a former refugee as speaker of the house. I want a Muslim mayor. I want a disabled deputy mayor and a late-life … Read more