The health of our soil is intrinsically linked to the health of our people, and a new book aims to centre matauranga Māori in the quest to stop treating our soil like, well, dirt. We hardly ever think about it, even though it’s literally under our feet. But in the coming years soil will become … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Repeated blunders shake faith in quarantine system, report finds ministry was unprepared on PPE, and trade negotiations with Britain begin. New measures will be taken around the border quarantine system after a series of idiotic failings. Our live blog has the details, including the news that the health … Read more
Todd Muller has been criticised for posing in front of an upside down tino rangatiratanga flag. Hayden Donnell deploys high-level investigative journalism to find out who’s responsible. Todd Muller’s speech at Te Puna Rugby Club was designed as a reset for his troubled leadership. He’d spent his first days as National Party leader defending a … Read more
With Ardern and New Zealand in headlines for what promises to be a successful elimination strategy, we have an opportunity to use that influence in international relations, write Nina Hall, Max Harris, Evelyn Marsters, Thomas Nash and Arama Rata of New Zealand Alternative. The international praise of Jacinda Ardern’s response to Covid-19 means that New … Read more
A surge of Māori internet memes have appeared on Instagram in the past year tackling topics from land theft to a shared love of fry bread. They’ve been around since the dawn of the internet, but in the last few years memes have become intrinsic to popular culture. They’ve also become increasingly political. Indigenous groups … Read more
Architectural designer Jade Kake looks at the role tikanga and hapūtanga plays in Māori architecture and design, and how tauiwi architects can support Māori practitioners. The notion of tikanga Māori as it relates to architecture is something I’ve had reason to give some thought. This discussion has become increasingly vital as the prevalence of iwi, … Read more
TaiTokerau Rugby League is a breakaway competition aiming to bring power back to the people in the Far North. But under the lead of CEO Hone Harawira, it’s not without its critics. Don Rowe reports. This feature is made possible thanks to The Spinoff Members. For more about becoming a member and supporting The Spinoff’s journalism click here. Three … Read more
A new poem by Motueka writer and performer Donna McLeod. Ihumātao Our first born is holding the blue line. Blessed by mana whenua kaumātua, Kīngitanga, an eviction notice is served. Houses can be built on confiscated land, deals have been struck. Our first born is their visual might. Our first born is still holding the … Read more
The dispute over land at Ihumātao in southwest Auckland dates back to the wars of 1863, and has been characterised as New Zealand’s ‘trail of tears’. Since 2016 an occupation has been in place at Kaitiaki Village as part of an effort to protect the land from development by Fletcher Residential, who want to build … Read more
After months of protest, the last occupants were moved off Ihumātao in south Auckland by police this afternoon. Don Rowe reports. Most of the occupants of Ihumātao had been moved on. The police, numbering at least 30, had finally made good on their promise to remove mana whenua from Kaitiaki Village, enforcing Fletcher Building’s demands … Read more
Pākehā life coach Sally Anderson came under fire for receiving moko kauae, as has the tā moko artist that gave it to her. Leonie Pihama looks at the difference between rights and privilege when it comes to wāhine Māori and moko kauae. This post was first published 24 May 2018. Over the past few days I … Read more
For many Waitangi Day is an opportunity to talk about tino rangatiratanga – Māori sovereignty and self-determination. But does sovereignty mean the same thing to all of us? Waitangi Day means many different things to many different people. To some it is a time of reflection on where we are as a country; for others … Read more