NZ: Road blessing

[rex]

Blessed are roads under the Treaty
18 November 2006
By PATRICK CREWDSON

The Government's roading agency has brought in spiritual leaders to bless projects 20 times in as many months.

Since March 2005, Transit has hosted blessing ceremonies at sites in Wellington, Wanganui, Auckland, Hamilton and Napier.

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The complete article is available online at:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3864575a11,00.html

[This Guy]

"A Transit spokeswoman said it was a statutory responsibility for the Crown to take account of Treaty of Waitangi principles and this was reflected in legislation. "

Maybe it's time to break the Treaty and have a war? ;)

[firecoins]

blessed are the cheesemakers

[Carnivore]

"A Transit spokeswoman said it was a statutory responsibility for the Crown to take account of Treaty of Waitangi principles and this was reflected in legislation. "

Maybe it's time to break the Treaty and have a war? ;)

I believe the in the NZ Army has a disproportionately high percentage of Maori soldiers. Gumboot?

Seriously though, the Treaty is what gives New Zealand it's legal existence. It's the document that transfers sovereignty from the United Tribes of New Zealand to the British Crown, in return for certain rights. Successive recent governments have acknowledged that the laws they pass must abide by Treaty principles. This has caused friction as some indigenous European New Zealanders feel that there is not "mutuality of respect" between cultures. For example, some places of cultural significance to Maori may be legally protected from deveolopment, but sites of cultural significance to European New Zealanders may not. NZ is pretty egalitarian, and the sense of a double standard angers many people.

Yes, the Government is spending taxpayer money on woo, but under NZ law, they really dont have a choice.

[This Guy]

My remark was mostly in jest.

I have conflicting opinions on matters like this. I fully respect the traditions of indigenous people. I would have a hard time supporting any law that forbade our Native American's from practicing their rituals and rites, as long as no one is harmed.

At the same time I'd be uncomfortable with our Government spending my tax dollars to promote such things. Protect? Sure. Promote? No.

The NZ case sounds like a minor issue to me. $4000 or so dollars? Not a large amount. I'd prolly not make a stink about it myself. But, in this case, it's not my money, or my roads :)