Symbols of National Unity
An interesting development this week was the call by the Maori Party MP Rahui Katene for a Maori flag to fly not just on Waitangi Day, but on all days of significance.
The notion of having both a New Zealand flag and a Maori flag flying on all public holidays would remove the flag as a symbol of national unity, and instead potentially portray a divided nation.
It is worth recalling how the flag issue started in recent times. Having seen the Auckland Harbour Bridge fly the EU flag on Europe Day, and many other flags, local Iwi wanted to fly a Maori flag on Waitangi Day.
This was resisted by the then Labour Government, despite the fact few New Zealanders would rate it a big issue. Certainly my view was that if we can fly the flag of the protectionist bastards in the EU, we can fly a Maori flag on Waitangi Day. It makes sense to do so on the anniversary of the Treaty of Waitangi between the British Crown (now represented by NZ Government) and Maori.
Shortly after the formation of a National-led Government with Maori Party Ministers, the issue arose again. Initially Ministers were reluctant to take a position, correctly judging it a decision for the PM. And John Key turned what may have been a necessity into a virtue by enthusiastically promoting the idea of having a Maori flag fly on Waitangi Day not just on the Auckland Harbour Bridge, but also at the Beehive and said he’d raise one himself at Premier House.
So already the issue had moved on from flying the flag on one bridge on Waitangi Day, to probably having a Maori flag fly on all Government buildings on Waitangi Day. You can be sure that if the Beehive is flying a Maori flag, so will most Departments and probably even most Councils around the country.
And at this stage you probably still have most people supportive of the idea. Well actually most people don’t care much either way, but can see it is reasonable to have two flags flying on the anniversary of a Treaty between two parties.
But the flirtation by the Maori Party of having a Maori flag fly not just on Waitangi Day, but on all important days, is a different issue. Many people would read that as saying the New Zealand flag and a Maori flag are of equal status. Or worse it raises the often unspoken fears that this is about separatism – dividing a country by race instead of uniting it.
Some may argue that as we have English and Maori as official languages, then why not have a New Zealand flag and Maori flag as official flags. This falls down on two fronts though. The first is that many countries have multiple official languages but none have multiple official flags. The second is the implication that the current New Zealand flag represents only European New Zealanders and not Maori New Zealanders.
Of course many will say that the current flag does exactly that. Others will counter that the Maori Battalion fought and died under that flag.
But if there is a feeling the current New Zealand flag doesn’t adequately reflect New Zealand’s shared European and Maori culture, then the preferable thing in my eyes is to change the New Zealand flag, not to go down a path of having two separate flags. The Maori Party would do better pushing a more inclusive flag than pushing for the Maori flag to be given equal status to the New Zealand flag.
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Comments and questions17
As a European, NZ resident, and observer of New Zealand culture for several years, it appears that other than being propped up by government entitlements, the Maori contribution to the success of New Zealand as a country seems to be little more than an entertaining war dance and a few song and dance festivals.
What entitilments did the NZ government ever supply that was given exclusively to Maaori?
Unbeknown to most Kiwis living in NZ the things that were exclusively avaliable to Maaori, eg 'Maaori trades training' etc were paid for by Maaori. If not through trusts set up by ancestors then rentals comming from unclaimed/ unsucceeded to Maaori lands.
Don't knock the Maaori because our ancestors were more far-sighted than yours!
How can a people offer more to a community if the ones with the money or power only want to hear those bits from them!
Whilst Maaori have their focus tied up in trying to be accepted as an equal partner in the country, it's no wonder they can only offer what they have at the moment.
Don't snub your nose at the millions of dollars that Maaori do bring into country because of tourism. it competes well against local product.
After all the western society is so alike around the world what the Maaori have to offer is the only point of difference otherwise why visit NZ if it is very much like home.
By the way, most countries around the world have beautiful scenery.
Mr. Kran, such comments are totally unacceptable. If you're going to come to NZ and live here, you must be like the locals and grovel in weak and cowardly supplication to every request of the so called Tangata Whenua, no matter how divisive or insulting or ignorant.
For to do otherwise is to be labeled, at the speed of light, a racist. (Here in NZ, for so many decades under the jack booted heel of the academic PC brigade, more or less the equivalent of being called a Nazi or a child molester)
Best we just give the country to a "Maori" Marxist dictatorship now, and assign the rest of the NZ population the status of secondary citizen, and be done with the present charade of a multi-cultural democracy.
As a European NZer, who served in the RNZN for 34 years, I would have no problem with a new NZ Ensign. I would happily accept the "Flag of the United Tribes" - the white ensign of the Royal Navy, but with the Union Jack in the top right-hand canton replaced by the cross and four stars. This was approved by the UK Government of the time - which caters for European descendents - and is accepted by at least some Maori groups.
Apartheid. Indiginous means gouwn here. We are all immigrants at some tome or another. Divided we fall Unity is Strenght as ONE NATION OF WONDERFUL NEW ZEALANDERS. This is a now real world. Divided we fall. We are and should be all equal in the eyes of the law of the land. One proud nation . The evil of this world divides us. Sad, however true. Yes have a new ONE flaf for one Nation of ONE people of New Zealand. Human rights treat ALL people equally. QED.
Isn't the solution to have one flag that inspires all New Zealanders? One that comes to mind is the silver fern on a black background.
Replace the top black portion of the Tino Rangitiratanga flag with blue.
we then have a red white and blue flag that pakeha can also relate to that has grown from "the" Maori flag. It has the Koru like shape. The symbolism is retained. It is a clean, simple, distinct, timeless yet modern design with style. It can easily be used on many other objects (cups, hats, jewlery, symbols & logos) to start us toward building a sense of national pride and inclusivness.
Our soldiers were fighting under the red white and blue flag of New Zealand - this would be the new Red White and Blue flag of New Zealand.
Do a google image search - maori flag
Oh for heaven's sake, how is changing the NZ flag going to add to the economic prosperity of NZ, I ask you?? Not one iota, that's how much. It just underscores how NZ has lost its way in the world and we flounder around wondering what the f##k to do next. This utter waffle reminds me of how some bright spark wanted to change the NZ Made logo back in the 1980's. God knows how many hundreds of thousands of dollars later and umpteen different logo's have come and gone since. The interesting thing is that the old, origninal logo is now back in vogue and has been for sometime. Change the NZ flag?? Pfffft. Get a life.
If all we wanted was economic prosperity then we would all have moved to Australia.
The reason we stay in NZ is because we value the way of life here enough to stay despite....
That is not to say we can't make it a better or more prosperous place, but this article and these posts are about something other than economic prosperity.
If Paul Marsden thinks that economic prosperty is all there is to aim for then I pitty him. To use his words "Pfffft. Get a life"
One people, one flag. Not before.
Why not replace the Union Jack in the left hand corner with the Maori Flag
Some may argue that as we have English and Maori as official languages, then why not have a New Zealand flag and Maori flag as official flags. This falls down on two fronts though
Three fronts. Sign language is also an official language. And it doesn't have a flag.
I am a kiwi and I was about 18 before I could remember the differences between nz-aus flags.
So this slow learner thinks the current flag is crap.
Most diggers from WW2 (like my old man) would not care if the flag was changed, so long as the change was agreed by the people not by parliament.
But of course NZ will just plonk along with the current one and navel gaze about a new one for a few more decades and then realize that they can't afford a new flag because the country will be bankrupt.
Cheers...
There are some real shortfalls in thinking here, including by the well-meaning David Farrar. The push for the Maori flag which Key was either devious or stupid enough to endorse is basically yet another radicalised move - that of the very small minority of Maoris, (and they are only part -Maori, most probably largely European...) whose real aim is to subvert our democracy and aim for Separatism.
Their motives? Yet more funding from the taxpayer' bottomless pockets (these people are really very, very greedy) though they always say "it's not about the money" - while requesting more.
The call for a Maori flag was one they never, ever intended to be for one day a year only - wake up you liberal wets out there. It was and is their first step in a well-planned agenda, which, of course requires their insatiable egos to be fed by media attention.
There's nothing wrong with our present flag. It represents our great past - the legacy of our forebears, under a Pacific sky. It ain't broke - though too many have been programmed to mindlessly endorse "fixing" it. Your look at this whole issue is a once-over-too-lightly one, David. Think harde, please....
just put the Maori flag up, I love maori people.
DPF - I think you arrive at the correct conclusion. A flag that represents us all, because the current one is seen to be to Brit-centric. Canada have made the change, time we dd as well. Shame about the apathy though!
DPF - you said "if we can fly the flag of the protectionist bastards in the EU" - well maybe the EU reacts against US protectism, or is it more tit-for-tat these days - but the EU promotes free trade within member (26) states and that has to be applauded. You would do well not to knock what has actually been a free and fair trade experiment. Righties need to appreciate this before writing off the EU as some lefist concept. Free trade is indeed the tide that raises all ships. The more EU-style adopted the better for the economy.
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