1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:02,200 Speaker 1: I don't mind telling you I kind of dread making 2 00:00:02,240 --> 00:00:04,800 Speaker 1: any sort of editorial comment or opinion on Why Tounguy Day, 3 00:00:04,880 --> 00:00:07,720 Speaker 1: not because I don't think it's significant, but because there's 4 00:00:07,720 --> 00:00:10,280 Speaker 1: this sort of expectation maybe I put on myself to 5 00:00:10,280 --> 00:00:12,440 Speaker 1: say something about its importance in our calendar and how 6 00:00:12,440 --> 00:00:15,440 Speaker 1: it's an opportunity to reflect on our history and how 7 00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:17,160 Speaker 1: we should use it to think about the way ahead, 8 00:00:17,239 --> 00:00:19,720 Speaker 1: something like that. And I'm not about to deny that 9 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:22,920 Speaker 1: it's an important day, especially for Ewe and the Crown 10 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:27,040 Speaker 1: within the context treaty settlements and Crown Ewee relationships. But 11 00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:29,639 Speaker 1: if I'm honest, I'm kind of over it. And it 12 00:00:29,760 --> 00:00:31,600 Speaker 1: hazard a guess that for many people the first thing 13 00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:34,199 Speaker 1: that comes to their minds isn't politics or history. It's 14 00:00:34,280 --> 00:00:36,760 Speaker 1: looking at the window and go, what's the weather doing 15 00:00:36,800 --> 00:00:39,200 Speaker 1: for our day off? So I'm not about to offer 16 00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:41,640 Speaker 1: a lecture on what Why Tounguy means or should means, 17 00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:43,559 Speaker 1: because there's no shortage of that. If that's the sort 18 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:46,680 Speaker 1: of opinion you're seeking, I guess in the lead up 19 00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:49,480 Speaker 1: to it, I've just seen enough news coverage that either 20 00:00:49,920 --> 00:00:51,920 Speaker 1: lectures us on what we should be thinking or pushes 21 00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:54,440 Speaker 1: the most inflammatory images or stories that we can get 22 00:00:54,520 --> 00:00:56,920 Speaker 1: you the media, you can get the hands on, and 23 00:00:57,000 --> 00:00:59,760 Speaker 1: of course it's understandable the feisty stuff will always be 24 00:00:59,800 --> 00:01:02,360 Speaker 1: the sort of thing that makes the news. But should 25 00:01:02,360 --> 00:01:04,600 Speaker 1: we really be surprised that so many people are tuning 26 00:01:04,600 --> 00:01:06,840 Speaker 1: out of the actual day. I think that many of 27 00:01:06,920 --> 00:01:09,360 Speaker 1: us have just grown weary with the predictable news cycle 28 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:12,120 Speaker 1: around White Tonguy. It's our own version of Groundhog Day. 29 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:15,000 Speaker 1: Were the same pattern of events, the same dramas, the 30 00:01:15,000 --> 00:01:17,920 Speaker 1: same tensions, then when you have the day itself rolls 31 00:01:17,959 --> 00:01:21,160 Speaker 1: around today and it does seem like a beautiful day, 32 00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:24,119 Speaker 1: and we told what a wonderful occasion is and how 33 00:01:24,160 --> 00:01:28,679 Speaker 1: you really have to visit Whiteitanngy to appreciate our national day. Essentially, 34 00:01:28,760 --> 00:01:30,600 Speaker 1: I just don't think the events and the lead up 35 00:01:30,600 --> 00:01:35,440 Speaker 1: to it represent us very well. They don't relate reflect 36 00:01:35,520 --> 00:01:37,560 Speaker 1: or how we relate to each other as New Zealanders, 37 00:01:37,840 --> 00:01:39,880 Speaker 1: and they certainly don't make us feel united as a 38 00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:43,319 Speaker 1: country or even particularly good about ourselves, which is a 39 00:01:43,319 --> 00:01:46,120 Speaker 1: shame because there's this endless politicizing of race in New 40 00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:48,720 Speaker 1: Zealand which portrays how well we actually get on with 41 00:01:48,760 --> 00:01:52,720 Speaker 1: each other. We've been meeting, marrying, forming friendships, building families 42 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:57,080 Speaker 1: for generations. And today New Zealand's a truly multicultural society. 43 00:01:57,480 --> 00:01:59,400 Speaker 1: And look in a few weeks time the netball season 44 00:01:59,400 --> 00:02:01,880 Speaker 1: gets underwe I've talked about this before, but every night, 45 00:02:01,920 --> 00:02:03,600 Speaker 1: if you go down there, you'll see hundreds of kids 46 00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:06,440 Speaker 1: and adults gathering to play, compete, have fun, and you'll 47 00:02:06,480 --> 00:02:09,960 Speaker 1: see they're all from a multitude of races, backgrounds and cultures, 48 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:12,960 Speaker 1: all getting stuck in and enjoying themselves. That's the face 49 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:16,160 Speaker 1: of New Zealand today and not one that we often 50 00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:18,480 Speaker 1: see represented by the lead up to White Tangy Day, 51 00:02:18,480 --> 00:02:21,240 Speaker 1: where it's defined just as this biracial thing of Pakier 52 00:02:21,280 --> 00:02:23,600 Speaker 1: and Murray and frankly on bored with it. And there 53 00:02:23,639 --> 00:02:25,239 Speaker 1: will be people who say, look, you've just got to 54 00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:28,400 Speaker 1: go there. It's wonderful occasion, which may be true. But 55 00:02:28,440 --> 00:02:30,080 Speaker 1: if the meaning of our national day can only be 56 00:02:30,120 --> 00:02:32,919 Speaker 1: fully grasped by physically being in one place, then it's 57 00:02:32,919 --> 00:02:35,400 Speaker 1: hardly a unifying celebration it's supposed to be and that's 58 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:37,600 Speaker 1: a tough cell to five million people. So when it 59 00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:39,960 Speaker 1: comes to the sixth of February, I'm probably with most people, 60 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:41,400 Speaker 1: I'll be looking out the window, hoping for a bit 61 00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:43,720 Speaker 1: of sunshine and asking, Hey, what's the weather looking like. 62 00:02:44,680 --> 00:02:47,600 Speaker 1: For more from the Mic Asking Breakfast, listen live to 63 00:02:47,680 --> 00:02:50,760 Speaker 1: news talks it'd be from six am weekdays, or follow 64 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:52,359 Speaker 1: the podcast on iHeartRadio.