Waatea News Update

News from Waatea 603 AM, Urban Maori radio, first with Maori news

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Location: Auckland, New Zealand

Monday, June 13, 2011

Cultural competency for education sector

Maori party co-leader Tariana Turia is defending colleague Pita Sharples’ move to make the study of tikanga and te reo compulsory for teacher trainees.

He intends to introduce a cultural competency programme called Tataiako, with a view to making it mandatory some time in future.

Secondary Schools principals association president Pat Walsh is critical of it being compulsory while the primary teachers union the NZEI has questioned its resourcing.

However Mrs Turia says cultural competency in nursing has seen a major improvement in nurses’ ability to build relationships with Maori communities leading to big improvements in their health and well-being.

“Why shouldn't we expect that from teachers and it’s very disappointing that again we see the union come out focusing on the negative rather than focusing on what could be an opportunity,” Mrs Turia says.

She says all public servants should be required to be culturally competent.

IWI INFORMED OF MAUNGATAUTARI PROGRESS

Ngati Koroki Kahukura negotiator Willie Te Aho says the iwi has met with treaty settlements minister Chris Finlayson and relayed its support for a mediator being appointed to resolve a dispute over the Maungatautari ecological reserve in the central North Island.

A deed of settlement was due to be signed with the iwi this month but postponed in the face of opposition from some adjoining landowners who threatened to pull the reserves 47km fence down over what they saw as governance of the reserve being given to Maori.

Mr Te Aho says iwi members where brought up to date at a poukai today.

FASHION SHOW MARKS MATARIKI IN TE WHANGANUI A TARA

Some of New Zealand's top maori and pacific designers are taking the opportunity of Matariki to show off their work.

Te Papa Tongarewa kicked off their Matariki celebrations in Wellington with a Nga Kakahu fashion show featuring the work of Kohai Grace, Kiri Nathan, Shona Tawhiao and the Design and Art class of Te Wananga o Raukawa.

Organiser Suzanne Tamaki says the celebration of the Maori new year will carry through to tonight's black tie Matariki celebration.

TANIWHA JONES SNAPPING AT HEELS OF STATUTORY BOARD

Labour's Tamaki Makarau candidate says the Auckland Maori Statutory Board should be replaced.

Mr Jones says by wheeling out the prospect of a taniwha under Auckland's CBD stopping a major transport project, board member Glen Wilcox showed his focus was on obscure elements of heritage rather than the needs of ordinary Maori and working families.

He says the statutory board was a creation of the Maori Party and the National Party to buy off the tribes near Auckland.

“The tribes have no business being the exclusive representatives of the Maori of Auckland and the debacle over the taniwha Horotiu just shows that they are getting too many of their ideas addled by the fumes form the sewage line that I fear is damaging Horotiu because it is obviously damaging the Maori Statutory Board,” Mr Jones says.

POLITICAL TOLERANCE OF INTOLERANT SECT HAILED

Maori party co-leader Tariana Turia is supporting politicians who have come in for criticism for not attacking the Destiny church's views on things like homosexuality when they attended a panel discussion last weekend.

Mrs Turia says that was not the place for Pita Sharples, Hone Harawira, Shane Jones and Tau Henare to raise such issues.

“I don't like people challenging my cultural values and beliefs. I don’t believe that you have any right to do this. When you are an invited guest into their place to speak to them, then you behave in a respectful manner towards them,” Mrs Turia says.

She says people such as Auckland academic Leonie Pihama who have attacked the MPs for not taking the church to task over their attitudes towards women and homosexuality have plenty of forums where they can make their views known.

NGATI RANGITIHI MARKS TARAWERA ERUPTION ANNIVERSARY

The chair of the Ngati Rangitihi trust, Ken Raureti, says commemorating the Tarawera eruption is bringing the eight Te Arawa iwi together.

Today is the 125th anniversary of the eruption that killed more than 150 people and buried the famous Pink and White Terraces under 50 metres of water.

The anniversary was commemorated this morning with over 100 people walking the footsteps of the tupuna to Ruawhahia, Mount Tarawera's highest peak.

Mr Raureti says he hopes to one day see the part of the White Terraces which have just been discovered by scientists.

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