09 Feb 26 So, I've had a couple of interesting conversations this week. About education. Mine. Or, as pointed out to me, lack thereof. In some respects they are right, but in others they are very, very wrong. Let me explain why. First off, if you are judging my education on degrees, then yes, un-educated. However, I am not per se un-educated. Nor am I stupid. And this all came about because, wait...wait...I need to digress because this is important... I am a many, many, many generational European New Zealander. So there I was, having a really good time the other night, and out of the blue, someone got corrected for the way they said a country towns name. Not once, many times. Actually, I too, was then shown how to enuciate the sound, the way my mouth should move, and how long I should hold the vowel. Ok. But to be fair, I feel a bit weird about this. My family, and ancestors, have grown up here. Lived their life, paid taxes, and made the world a better place because they were in it. In fact, you could call us pioneers, as we ran the first (just before it became taxable) bookies in Huntly. Yet now, those things are not important, or not as important, as the colour of your skin. I grew up speaking these country towns names in the way that everyone back then did. So you don't get to say now that me and mine were barbarians, and savaged the sounds. That we were, and are, ignorant and un-educated, but you'll show us the right way home. No..no...nah uh, baby. Then somehow the conversation changed to the colour of my skin. Now this is a tricky one. Mostly because of my Ta Moko - which is the (European) journey of 10,000 miles from Birth to Death on my right arm...and I tan easily. Ta Moko? Maori - but no. Tanned skin? Maori or Pacific Island or Greek or Italian or Croatian - no, nopes, nada, zero and nil. Part Scottish? Hell yes! But just the good part. But after this conversation, I had not just one, exactly the same, but three. So it's been really interesting to see just how, in real time, divided, New Zealand is becoming. You can no longer just be a person, but rather, you are being forced to sit on one side of the Maori vs Pakeha fence or the other. Which is unfortunate for other people as: a) I will not be bullied or given an ultimatium and b) I sit smack bang in the middle of the fence. If you're a good person, we're good, if you're a wanker, not so much, and it is your words and more importantly, actions, which determine this. New Zealand belongs to the Children of New Zealand, the people who love, respect and honour this country - which is not, in any way that you judge these things, based purely on the colour of your skin. Love always, T and Spirit - Dino (dino_the_dinosaur_kettle), our horses, chooks and Pat the Rooster. Xx * I acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land where I work and live, and pay my respects to Elders, past and present.
