Positive Contributions to Race Relations

Positive Contributions to Race RelationsHuman RightsCommissionTe Kahui Tika Rosetta Stone V3 TangataOn the BrightSideJune/Pipiri 2004 Kia ora. Here are thismonth's acknowledgments from the Race Relations Commissionerfor positive contributions to race relations in NewZealand.Bruce Holm, Four Square Supermarket, TokomaruBayFor introducing bi-lingual supermarket signage, June2004. Bruce Holm described himself on National Radio as "asort of honkie Jaffa" who'd come to the small East Coastsettlement of Tokomaru Bay from Auckland, having bought thelocal supermarket. Tokomaru Bay has a population almost80% Maori, and after being approached about the matter,Bruce agreed to introduce Maori language signage into thestore. When asked if he was just another "sickly whiteliberal", he said that although he'd missed out on a tanlast summer, he was basically just "sympathetic tocommonsense things to be done for our country", that as auniversity graduate in foreign languages he felt that"language is a precious gift, the Maori language is aprecious gift and it behoves all New Zealanders to treasureit" and that "language is the key to understanding who weare and where we are and why we are".It's hard to thinkof a better introduction to Maori Language Week from 26 Julyto 1 August with its theme of "Give it a Go: Korero Maori"(for ideas and resources for Maori Language Week visit nzreo.org.nz/ ). Kia ora Bruce.Daphne Bell, HamiltonForcontributing to greater understanding of New Zealand's newmigrant communities. Daphne Bell's New to New Zealand: AGuide to Ethnic Groups in New Zealand is already in itsthird edition and second reprint since it was firstpublished on behalf Rosetta Stone Latin America Spanish of Hamilton's New Settlers Focus Groupand the Ethnic New Zealand Trust in 1997. It aims to givestaff of voluntary and statutory agencies a readilyaccessible resource that will help them to understand theirclients better. Daphne has worked closely with Hamilton'sethnic communities and has been a board member of theHamilton Multicultural Services Trust. She is also acommittee member and home tutor for the Waikato ESOL hometutor scheme. As the Donations and Community LiaisonCoordinator for Trust Waikato, she has provided fundingadvice to many community and volunteer organisations, andpublished a Grant Seeker's Guide. She is retiring from theTrust in July, and will be working on a further edition ofNew to New Zealand. Moe Milne, Matawaia, Northland For the Matariki celebrations, Healing the Spirit, in theKaikohe region, June 2004. There has been significantfurther growth in the celebration of the uniquely NewZealand and Pacific festival of Matariki this year, withmany iwi, local councils and other organisations marking theevent with substantial programmes. Among those are thecombined Auckland regional programme organised by the fourmajor city councils, the well-established programme at TePapa, and the equally well-established regional celebrationsin Hawke's Bay. Moe Milne this year organised a Kaikoheregional programme under the theme of Healing the Spirit. One week of celebrations (15 - 19 June) saw over 2000 peopleattend various events including a wananga of Maori knowledgeof Matariki in the Tai Tokerau region, composing waiata(songs), a Maori language debate and various types ofhealing including mirimiri (massage). There was a Maorilanguage debate and taonga puoro (traditional Maori musicalinstruments), weaving lessons, and schools from the regionwere invited to perform throughout the week. The grandfinale on the Saturday was Rosetta Stone Arabic Super 12 kapa haka, a fantasyfashion show, with special entries from Makareta Paku andMandy Sunlight, and a showcase of local talent performinginto the night. There were special appearances byAboriginal performers, Te Huaki Puanaki, Tukaha Milne, MereTaylor and healers from Nga Taonga o Te Ao Marama.