Hamilton Gardens

I visit the Hamilton Gardens very often. There is always something to see there, especially on Saturdays during the summer months.

Tai-chi

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Maori warriors

It was a big surprise for me to see so many Maori performing at the Gardens last Saturday.

Colonisation of a race/country

Apparently there is a time limit set by some one, I don't really know who. You may colonize some native peoples if your country is strong (eg China, Britain). However you must do it within certain unwritten mode and time constraints. Otherwise it will end up like New Zealand. Captain Cook landed at the Bay of Plenty (Tauranga), planted the Union Jack and claimed this land for the Queen. Even today we have a governor general in Wellington, representing the Queen! 

There is a slight difference in this case (from Sarawak). NZ is not considered a colony of Britain. It is one of the commonwealth countries (same as Australia and Canada). Also during the colonization process, Maori fought the British and won many battles both in the Waikato and elsewhere. Both parties ended the conflict by signing a treaty of peace at Waitangi.

The treaty of Waitangi

In the year 1769 captain James Cook landed at the Bay of Plenty. He saw plenty of wild pigs roaming the hills and he instucted his first-mate to arrange to catch a few for food during their long return voyage back to England. He managed to capture one young pigling which he kept in a small enclosure with a gate. He looked after this pig well, giving him food daily and water to drink. A year passed.One day the man forgot to close the gate after he fed the pig. However, it was ok because when he returned the next day with food for the pig it was still there inside the pen. The door was wide open. Why did this pig not leave the enclosure?

Answer: He was too large to fit through the door! Even if he were small he would not wish to leave. In the same way, the benefits system of the pakeha (orang putih) have made it very comfortable for many Maori. The easy life and pakeha diet have made the whole Maori race very unhealthy. There was no longer any need for him to hunt for food. Gradually they put on weight and they have lost the motivation to work for a living and be independent. To expedite their down fall, the pakeha gave them missionary, alcohol, cigarettes and other addictive drugs to destroy their fighting spirit. Meanwhile their land and their women were stolen from them.

In the Treaty of Waitangi, Queen Victoria of England promised to look after the indigenous peoples of New Zealand. In reality NZ became a colony of Britain in 1840 and the Maori were British subjects holding British passports which allowed them to live in England or any other country of the British Empire: Australia, India, Pakistan, Burma, Hong Kong, Malaya, British Borneo, Canada, Fiji, Jamaica and parts of Africa. The British failed to conquer China, Japan, USA, Thailand, Vietnam or South America.

Even today we have a representative of the queen living in NZ, the governor general. Only British colonies have governor generals or have royal visits from the Queen! No mater what kiwis think, NZ is a colony of Britain. We have never been granted independence. In 1774 the Americans fought the British and won independence. Today their flag no longer has a small union jack at one corner and USA is certainly not a part of the British Commonwealth of Nations.

The Treaty of Waitangi

In the year 1769 captain James Cook landed at the Bay of Plenty. He saw plenty of wild pigs roaming the hills and he instucted his first-mate to arrange to catch a few for food during their long voyage back to England. He managed to capture one young pigling which he kept in a small enclosure with a gate. He looked after this pig well, giving him food daily and water to drink. A year passed.

One day the man forgot to close the gate after he fed the pig. However, it was ok because when he returned the next day with food for the pig it was still there inside the pen. The door was wide open. Why did this pig not leave the enclosure? Answer: He was too large to fit through the door! Even if he were small he would not wish to leave.

In the same way, the benefits system of the pakeha have made it very comfortable for many Maori. The easy life and pakeha diet have made the whole Maori race very unhealthy. There was no longer any need to hunt for food. Gradually they put on weight and they have lost the motivation to work for a living and be independent. To expedite their down fall, the pakeha gave them alcohol, missionary and other addicting drugs to destroy their fighting spirit. Meanwhile their land and their women were stolen from them.

In the Treaty of Waitangi, Queen Victoria of England promised to look after the indigenous peoples of New Zealand. In reality NZ became a colony of Britain in 1840 and the Maori were British subjects holding British passports which allowed them to live in England or any other country of the British Empire: Australia, India, Pakistan, Burma, Hong Kong, Malaya, British Borneo, Canada, Fiji, Jamaica and parts of Africa. The British failed to conquer China, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam or South America.

Even today we have a representative of the queen living in NZ, the governor general. Only British colonies have governor generals or have royal visits from the Queen! No mater what kiwis think, NZ is a colony of Britain. We have never been granted independence. In 1774 the Americans fought the British and won independence. Today their flag no longer has a small union jack at one corner and USA is certainly not part of the British Comonwealth of Nations.

Maori cultural dance

Maori dancers at the living village of Whakawerawera, Rotorua. The grass skirts are made from flake which is a native plant of NZ.

Flake at sunset

Before pakeha arrived in NZ, the Maori people wore clothes made from the flake plant. 

These Maori dancers from Rotorua are wearing grass skirts made from flake.