19 Comments
User's avatar
David Hancock's avatar

Consistently "on point". Whatever else can we say. We do not like these "rahui" dictates either. We do not like them at all..........

Expand full comment
Matua Kahurangi's avatar

By all means, if you're Māori and believe in the mythical realm of tikanga, that's your choice. You’re free not to swim, fish, or go sailing. I see things differently. If I died in floodwaters, the last thing I'd want is for my passing to stop others from enjoying the water or gathering kai to feed their whānau.

Expand full comment
Joanne Bedford's avatar

Bullseye! “Why isn’t the iwi’s placing rāhui’s on the streets where Māori kids are being murdered”

Expand full comment
Matua Kahurangi's avatar

Over on X, a bunch of left-wing Māori extremists are claiming a rāhui isn’t a ban - and technically, they’re right, it’s not legally binding. But if you actually read the press release, it clearly states: “It covers all coastlines, river mouths, and floodwaters, and prevents the gathering of seafood and kai in these areas as well as swimming and entering the water.” Sounds like a ban to me.

Most people reading that on the Nelson City Council website would assume the rāhui is a legal restriction. Here’s the link - https://www.nelson.govt.nz/news-and-media-releases/all-news-notices-and-media-releases?item=id:2unda553017q9szv6448

Expand full comment
Terry Dalee's avatar

Ignore it. It's customary.

If anyone tries to enforce it, ignore it. Rahui has no legal standing.

Expand full comment
keruru's avatar

And when everyone ignores them because they need to make their living will the police stop them? Because Hurty wordsdand cultural demands don't matter when the bills are due.

Expand full comment
Just Boris's avatar

So very well said good Sir. Rahuis are a total crock of shit. What gives a bunch of superstitious pagans the right to dictate what others do? Nothing. Except that Doc & local Govt play the stupid cultural pandering game, giving these bogus edicts some legal legitimacy. It’s a crock, a power game. Like most of the cultural cringing. Your Church example is flawed cos most churches don’t believe in dead spirits roaming the Earth, but were they to demand an exorcism here & there, imagine the outcry. You can’t take food in the lift at Auckland hospital if it’s had a dead body in it. Rooms have to be Maori-blessed after a patient dies & sit idle until they are. This is superstitious bunkum. Why it’s tolerated I’ll never understand.

Expand full comment
Terry Dalee's avatar

Agreed, the standard you walk past is the standard you accept. By abiding by these arbitrary bans, your implying iwi ownership of these features and your acceptance of their authority, no matter how illegitimate it is. If anything, New Zealanders should be conducting a "freedom of navigation" exercise of these features to make the point that iwi do not control the coasts and rivers.

Expand full comment
Aroha's avatar

The takeover of the rights of ordinary folks just gets worse and worse.

Expand full comment
Astra Lucia Verum Omni's avatar

If the Rahui is due to a death it's one thing, if it's due to a perceived contamination it's another. It's up to Councils and MPI to decide on the latter AFAIK ..

Expand full comment
Just Boris's avatar

Just to confirm: Are you saying contamination is a good reason to close a beach (I’d obviously agree), but a death is not a valid reason for a swimming ban? (I’d agree again unless due to shark presence etc obviously!).

Expand full comment
Astra Lucia Verum Omni's avatar

Yes, that's what I'm saying. Of course any death is sad and unfortunate, however if that one flooding death is the reason for the Rahui on swimming and fishing in such a big area, it's a religious reason, and should not be applicable to those who do not follow that particular religion.

Expand full comment
Just Boris's avatar

Indeed, well said. It ultimately comes down to whether your worldview supports animism, residual evil spirits & the like, or if you base a society on science - in a Judeo Christian desacralised world (and allow people to hold private religious beliefs). The former is the exact bullshit being forced upon us and it’s just madness cos as a worldview, it just doesn’t work.

Expand full comment
Maxine Watson's avatar

Te Tauihu, whak ya’ Rāhui!

Expand full comment
Maxine Watson's avatar

I don’t speak Te Reo, but think I get exactly what you’re saying! 🤣

Expand full comment
Aroha's avatar

Why are some of your pages "Not found" when I go to post on them??

Expand full comment
Matua Kahurangi's avatar

Ah, I think you might be referring to the Health NZ article? I found out afterwards it was most likely a hoax so I deleted it as soon as I could, while at the local farmers market. I will make a note on both Substack and X today to clarify why I deleted it.

Expand full comment
Maxine Watson's avatar

Glad I got to read it … Spot on, yet again 🙌🏻

Expand full comment
Aroha's avatar

Thanks.

Expand full comment