“Historically, the intensity and momentum of Maori political activism has never been consistent. Upturns in protest activity are followed by downturns in struggle and vice versa. The 1970s were witness to a dramatic upsurge in Maori activism which had a profound effect on New Zealand Society.
The political turbulence created in the wake of the 1975 land march on parliament, Bastion Point, Raglan and the regular protests at Waitangi, once again revealed the exploitative and oppressive foundations on which capitalism had been established in Aotearoa.”
This article, written by a member of the International Socialist Organisation, Evan Te Ahu Poata-Smith, in the 1990s is a useful resource for activists today. We are committed to producing and distributing quality material that arms activists with the knowledge we need to take into the struggles of the future.
The article was originally published here:
Poata-Smith, E. S. 1996, ‘He pokeke uenuku i tu ai: the evolution of contemporary Maori protest’, in C. Macpherson, D. Pearson & P. Spoonley (eds), Nga Patai : Racism and Ethnic Relations in Aotearoa/New Zealand, Dunmore Press, Palmerston North, New Zealand. pp. 97
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/evan_poata-smith/11
You can buy a copy from our branches or you can order copies for $5 by emailing contact@iso.org.nz or by writing to ISO, PO Box 6157, Dunedin. You can also contact us by phone, either text or ring 022 312 8018.
