Decision to fly Maori flag dividing caucuses

22 Dec 2009 03:32p.m.

Jimmy wrote:

In Oz they have a flag for the country as a whole, the state that I live in has a flag, and the city I live in within that state has a flag. The high school I went to had a flag, the sports club had a flag. Is this being divisive??? The Macedonian community in my city had a cultural day a few weeks back. I saw lots of flags from their cultural background. Yet it is not seen as being divisive, but being proud of your culture. It seems to me that some ignorant people don't understand the point of a Maori flag. I guess us whinging dole bludgers (or Maori as I prefer to call myself) should forget about our culture and just assimilate into the "one size fits all" culture. Which is just a euphemism for saying "don't express any culture that isn't white european". It is laughable that when people look at Maori symbols all they can think of is protest and hatred. Yes the flag that has been chosen, has been used by radical Maoris who express unjustified hate to others. But in the same way the Union Jack has been hijacked by racist groups over in the UK. This does not make the flag inherently a symbol of hate. Worst of all is that there are people who have a problem with a Maori flag being displayed on Waitangi day??? What the hell do you think this day represents? It is meant to be a celebration of a treaty that defined a partnership agreement between two peoples. Both flags flying over Auckland harbour would be a great gesture of the equality and unity of Pakeha and Maori. Yet it seems now that one partner is resenting the other trying to express their culture or equality. Would it be more fitting to have the Maori flag sitting at the bottom of the harbour? Is this a more appropriate symbol of the attitude that some Pakeha have of the relationship between Maori and Pakeha? Read your own countries history and stop being ignorant about the bicultural foundations of New Zealand!!!

19 Dec 2009 10:10p.m.

mary wrote:

Why are we flying this so called "Tino Rangatiratanga" flag or "MONEY" flag. This isnt the real Maori flag, or correct me please. I believed the (ORIGINAL) Maori flag dated back to before 1835 (WHAKAPUTANGA) The Independence Flag. Oh how stupid "kee" Fly every nationality flag. LMAO.

19 Dec 2009 03:22p.m.

Ramlin77 wrote:

Same outrage, same comments from ignorant people was made when Cathy Freeman went ahead and proudly carried her flag in the games. The saddest thing was all the whites made a song and dance about it, when all she wanted to do was show the world how proud she is to be aboriginal and this is their country in which they share with numerous cultures. Whats the big deal about Maori having their own flag, was it not their country first?? In which they now share with many cultures! Comment to Drifter & Richard below; I see your english ancestors ways of thinking have been passed down from generation to generation. Let maori people have their flag, for the time being it will take away the focus of how they were robbed of their land, just like the aboriginals, indians and the like. And to think the white people have all the answers as they continue to live by greed, & rule the world by destroying it.