Tame Iti enjoyed prison, will keep using firearms

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‘Firearms part of my culture’ – Tame Iti

3News NZ

Tame Iti after being released this morning (Photo: Michael Morrah / 3 News)

Tame Iti after being released this morning (Photo: Michael Morrah / 3 News)

By 3 News online staff

Following his release this morning Tame Iti says he enjoyed prison and firearms will always be part of his culture.

Iti was granted parole from Waikeria Prison in Waikato on February 14,  after serving a third of the two-and-a-half year jail term he was given over the alleged military-style camps near his home town in 2011.

He was out of prison by 7am and appeared at a press conference at 10am.

Iti says firearms will always be part of his culture and he has no resentment about what happened, saying he wants “to move on”.

He told the media that while in prison he worked as a “wannabe mechanic”, earning 20c an a hour.

He says he worked hard to avoid what he called “landmines” in jail, but overall he enjoyed it as he got fit, started writing a book and did lots of art.

The Parole Board described Iti as a "role model prisoner".

3 News

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Comments

28/02/2013 11:09:20 a.m.

iain wrote:

Jeremy - he was jailed for his non-conviction on the police's trumped up terrorism charges.

The firearms charges brought against him would not ordinarily have seen him in jail. Thought that was common knowledge I guess you get out of the news what you want to hear.

I'm not Tuhoe but it seems clear to me he is referring to the Tuhoe culture of being hunters which is very prevalent for the people of the Waikeremoana region.

I met Tame Iti just once. He was in Christchurch helping the quake victims the week afterwards (as I was). He was with others from a trust based in Ruatoki where he works. Remember Ruatoki? That's the place where all the terrorists live where the police raided their school bus with all the terrorist school children on it.

The others I have met from that trust are lovely people.

Again it's a matter of hearing what you want to hear.

28/02/2013 9:57:11 a.m.

Kim wrote:

As long as "white" people are allowed to shoot down everything they want in a forest (including some protected species), Maori should also have the right to shoot pigs, possums etc. I would actually say NO ONE should have firearms without proper tests and a VERY good reason. STOP THE RACISM. Black, white, brown, yellow, pink, green - forget about the colour of the skin - every race is doing rubbish, every race has good people and bad people. And it's funny when one race says that THEY have the right to call something THEIRS. Mankind as a whole invented many things, improved things but also made many things to downhill - we won't improve anything by being racist at all.

27/02/2013 6:17:52 p.m.

Bill wrote:

Oh it's so good to see Iti saying whitemans introduced firearms are his culture, do you now saying you are a white man Iti? Just shows what a complete prat this guy really is.

27/02/2013 5:06:36 p.m.

Eugene wrote:

Just goes to show how uneducated many New Zealanders are. Cultures evolve and as they evolve they propagate and new things entwine to become an intrinsic part of day to day life...how cultures are born and maintained. The Lumiere brothers invented cinema-photography and now many non-French people proclaim film as part of their culture, the Japanese invented Jiu Jitsu, Karate, Nin Jitsiu of which all three a practised around the world and now an intrinsic part of Western culture martial arts practice. The Chinese invented gunpowder of which gave rise to gun phenomena that now permeates the world and if Tame Iti is not allowed to proclaim the gun as part of his culture how can the British and Americans given the Chinese were the genesis of gun powder?...and if people think guns are not an intrinsic part of British and American culture they should wake up and smell the roses. Re violence being a part of Maori culture…Scottish, Wales, Ireland, Aboriginal Australians, Black South Africans, Native American Indians were all subject to prolonged and sustained violence by the British. A violence in which peoples were subjugated, countries born and people oppressed by rape, murder and every other type of crime one can imagine. I would humbly suggest people learn about the history of the world we live in because to be as uneducated as some of the commentators on here is nigh on criminal.

27/02/2013 4:51:58 p.m.

Phil wrote:

Learnt nothing. Let out far too soon.

27/02/2013 4:44:07 p.m.

ANIL wrote:

So maori culture includes the white man's guns now?

27/02/2013 1:55:51 p.m.

ANIL wrote:

Only served 1/3 of his sentence - what a joke. No doubt he can use firearms again while on parole?

27/02/2013 1:32:21 p.m.

Erm... wrote:

Yes, Mr Iti, violence is part of your Maori culture. And unfortunately, until people like you grow up, it always will.

27/02/2013 1:01:18 p.m.

z650Steve wrote:

Thought it was sticks, blankets and grass skirts?

27/02/2013 12:55:01 p.m.

RolanTheRat wrote:

Firearms introduced to Maori by the white man how is that Maori culture.As for a model preisoner he was just doing what they wanted so he could get out. who are the idiots here.