Waatea News Update

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Location: Auckland, New Zealand

Thursday, July 13, 2006

Wai uu, wai ora

Wai uu, waiora. Breast milk is the best milk.

That's the slogan for a week long hiikoi and health promotion being run by Taitokerau iwi authorities later this month as part of national breastfeeding week.

Organiser Waireti Walters says the hikoi will go to a number of Northland towns including Kaikohe, Kawakawa, Kerikeri, Kaeo and Kaitaia, and of course Whangarei.

Mrs Walters says young mothers have to feel comfortable breastfeeding their babies.

“I don't feel that we are taking it seriously, the fact most young mothers still want to have a social life and leave baby to nanny, so what we want to promote is breast milk is the best milk, wai uu wai ora,” Walters said.

NZ FIRST HARKS BACK TO TARI MAORI

NZ First MP Pita Paraone wants a return to the days of the old Department of Maori Affairs.

His call is in response to the Government's new Maori potential framework, which has Maori Affairs minister Parekura Horomia telling Te Puni Kokiri staff to get out of their offices and spend more time in the community.

Mr Paraone, a former Tari Maori official, says the old department did good work before it was shut down in 1989.

MANGAMAHU CUT OFF BY FLOOD

The floods which have isolated the Rangitikei settlement of Mangamahu are allowing one local weaver to get ahead in her work.

Mere Keating, who lives in the former Mangamahu hotel, says the lack of traffic makes the area feel like it did when she first moved there more than 30 years ago.

The bridge over Mangawhero River collapsed last Saturday, and the only access is by helicopter or by four wheel drive over a muddy farm road.

Ms Keating says she hasn't been able to get her kete to the Saturday market in Wanganui, but she has plenty to keep her occupied preparing and weaving flax.

Transit New Zealand and Wanganui District Council engineers were today inspecting the bridge site with a view to installing a temporary bridge.

IRISH PRECEDENT FOR MAORI STRUGGLE

A former senior public servant says the creation of a Maori underclass is not in the best interests of society.

Jim Traue, the former chief librarian of the Alexander Turnbull Library, says in the wake of the killing of the Kaahui twins, child abuse and other social ills have been treated by politicians and the media as being Maori problems.

But he says the social problems besetting Maori are similar to those faced by other marginalised groups, such as the Irish in England during the 1800s.

Mr Traue says society as a whole needs to tackle such disadvantage, not just Maori.

“In a decent society we would attend to that problem, we would concentrate resources on those who were most in need, and mostly they are Maori who are most in need, but unfortunately it is very difficult for a government to do that and still stay in power,” Traue said.

Jim Traue says Maori leaders may have overplayed their hand by demanding special rights under the treaty, instead of emphasising their rights as citizens.

BEYER TO STAND DOWN BEFORE ELECTION

Labour list MP Georgina Beyer is hanging up her political hat.

The world's first transsexual MP says she has a few more things she wants to do in Parliament over the next year, but she won't stand for re-election.

The Te Atiawa tribal member says it ihas been a privilege to serve as as mayor of Carterton, MP for Wairarapa, list MP and chair of Parliament's social services committee, and she knows her experience has been an inspiration for others.

“15 years involved in politics is a reasonable chuck of service to the nation. It is something that was quite unexpected for me when it happened, and I’m very satisfied that I’ve had the privilege of serving in the New Zealand parliament, participating as a positive citizen, given my background and against all the odds,” Beyer said.

Georgina Beyer says she has other contributions to make to society outside politics, here and around the world.

WEAVER RANUI NGARIMU APPOINTED TO WAKA TOI

Christchurch based weaver Ranui Ngarimu has been appointed to Te Waka Toi, the Maori arm of Creative New Zealand.

Ms Ngarimu is an expert on restoring ceremonial cloaks, and she was part of the group that demonstrated weaving techniques during the Eternal Thread exhibition in Seattle and San Francisco.

She also co-authored the book of the same name which is a finalist in the Montana New Zealand Book Awards.

The other new member on the board is Darrin Haimona fron Ngati Haua.

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