Ae Marika! 23 October – Hone Harawira

Posted on October 23, 2012 by admin in Ae Marika

I went to court on Wednesday to enter a plea on the charge from my arrest in Glen Innes. I spoke in Maori and said I did not accept the right of the court to hear any charges against me for helping the poor in Glen Innes. They listed it as a “not guilty” plea and I go back to court on Thu 8 November to get a date for a defended hearing.

Will I defend the charge? Yes. Will I get a lawyer? Well I’ve never used one in the past but they’re lining up round the block to help me on this one so we’ll see. Suffice to say that I had no intention of going to GI to get arrested that night, but seeing as how somebody wants to push this I certainly intend defending it.

And while I’m on the issue of housing, Wed 7 November is Housing Crisis National Day of Action which will culminate in a protest at parliament at 1pm.

From Housing to Children and from Aotearoa to the land of the Dream people, here’s a little heads up – the Maori Affairs Select Committee is in the middle of an “Inquiry into the determinants of wellbeing for Maori children”. As part of that, parliament has given approval to the Committee to travel to Australia to see what we can learn from how Aboriginal children fare.

We head off on Sunday 28, and our draft programme has us stopping off in Sydney to look at a few initiatives there before we head on down to Canberra to meet with some politicians and officials and then up to Alice Springs for a couple of days to see what’s happening up there. Going back reminded me of a report I did for parliament from the last time I was up that way which I titled “Going Walkabout with Alice”. It reminded me of some very special people I met and some pretty horrific stories I heard while I was there. Going back should be an interesting visit …

Oh yeah, and don’t forget: NGAITAKOTO are signing their Deed of Settlement this Saturday 27 October 2012 at Te Rangi Aniwaniwa at 2pm (and they’ve got a whole bunch of other things happening starting from the night before); and TE RARAWA are signing theirs on the morning of Sunday 28 October 2012 at Te Ahu in Kaitaia.

Folks – I know not everybody agrees with how each iwi has been doing these things and who the people are behind these negotiations, but look at it like this …

I was once offered tickets to the ballet – what? Well, it just so happened that the tickets were to see the Bolshoi Ballet Company perform Swan Lake at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow – a once in a lifetime experience. I’m not a fan, but I went and I loved it.

Now, Mangu and Haami ain’t exactly ballerinas (although I have sometimes heard them described as prima donnas and a lot worse besides), but the events that they are hosting will come but once in the lifetime of the Ngaitakoto and Te Rarawa people. For that reason if for no other, I hope to see you all at both occasions.

AE MARIKA is an article written every week by Hone Harawira, leader of the MANA Movement and Member of Parliament for Te Tai Tokerau. You are welcome to use any of the comments and to ascribe them to Mr Harawira. The full range of Hone’s articles can be found on the MANA website at www.mana.net.nz.