Aro-Mind

Went to see ‘Helen Clark in Six Outfits’ last night, a play by Fiona Samuel produced by the Auckland Theatre Company at the ASB Waterfront Theatre. Highly recommend it. This is a largely lighthearted yet heartfelt honouring of an enormously significant figure in New Zealand political life. From a protest about food at Epsom Girls Grammar School all the way through to her time as the third most powerful person at the United Nations, the play covers key moments and episodes in a rich and varied life — and does so with warmth, wit, and real affection. There are some truly memorable moments — the funny episodes with the Tizards, media training with Brian Edwards, and a fantastic speech towards the end of the play. In between there are moments with her parents, her first electoral victory and arrival into Parliament, attempts to roll her from the post of Labour leader, and much more. The central theme — communicated through the metaphor of mountain climbing, Clark’s favoured holiday pastime...

Last night I went to see Silo Theatre’s production of Arthur Miller’s play ‘A View from the Bridge’ (Q Theatre to 3 May), a tragic tale of one man’s descent into a kind of madness after falling in love with his wife’s niece. It's a fantastic play and this production by Silo Theatre was excellent. The story tells us about how protagonist Eddie becomes obsessed with the young Catherine - soon to turn 18 - and how he pursues increasingly desperate measures to stop her from marrying young illegal immigrant Rodolpho. He complains to his wife, Beatrice, that “he ain’t right”, suggesting that Rodolpho might be gay and that the only reason he is interested in Catherine is so that he may remain in America legally. Eddie consults lawyer Alfieri - also the narrator in the play - who explains that the young couple have done nothing wrong (the marriage will resolve Rodolpho’s illegality) and urges Eddie to let her go.  The play is largely set in Eddie and Beatrice’s home near the Brooklyn dockl...

From time to time I receive requests for whakapapa, usually from whanaunga. I am pleased to help with whakapapa queries if I am able to. It is important to me to reciprocate the aroha and generosity I received from my elders and teachers when they shared whakapapa with me. In stating that I am pleased to help people with their requests, however, I also wish to say that it is important that the manner by which requests are communicated to me are important. Let me explain. Whakapapa is sacred. I do not mean sacred in that only the very few have a right to it and that it is some deep, heavy thing. Rather, I mean that it needs to be taken seriously. It needs to be cared for properly. It needs to be cherished and honoured. And it needs to be passed on in due course to the right people, in the right circumstances and with aroha. Unfortunately, with the rise of social media, the internet and email, requests for whakapapa have come to me through these channels and the custom of 'kanohi ki ...

The ACT Party has proposed a ‘Treaty Principles Bill’ which they assert ‘would restore the mana of our founding document by ensuring it delivers what it originally promised in 1840: nga tikanga katoa rite tahi – the same rights and duties for all New Zealanders.’  They further explain: The Treaty Principles Bill will not change the Treaty itself. That was set in 1840 and will remain forever. What we are seeking to do is continue the process of defining the Treaty principles, for the first time incorporating the voices of all people through a democratic Parliamentary process, instead of through the Tribunal or the courts. See here for the source of these quotes and for further information from the ACT Party:  https://www.treaty.nz/ The ACT Party have placed three proposed principles on their website and it is helpful to compare these proposed principles with the actual texts of both Te Tiriti-o-Waitangi and the Treaty of Waitangi. Please note that the principles that appear on ...

National Identity Workshop in Kimiora, Tūrangawaewae Marae, Ngāruawāhia 20 January 2024 I was fortunate to attend the ‘Te Tiriti o Waitangi’ hui called by Kingi Tūheitia at Tūrangawaewae Marae, Ngāruawāhia, this past Saturday, 20 January 2024. It was an historic event and showed, among other things, how the Kīngitanga continues to be an extraordinary institution. Although it has had its ups and downs in recent times, there is no other institution in the Māori world that can call for and host such a hui. The Rātana Church is an extraordinary institution too and hosts major hui, and recently Te Matatini has become a significant event. However, it is only the Kīngitanga that regularly hosts such large hui bringing the various iwi of the country together. And it is not just its physical capacities, capabilities and infrastructure that enables it to host hui of this kind. It is also because of the depth and complexity of the relationships it holds with every iwi of the country - even those ...

  Jubilee : Te Tiupiri, Volume 1, Issue 44, 8 December 1898, Page 12