Te Pourewa o Ngāpuhi, an Education Research & Development roopu in Kaikohe anchored by the country’s founding documents, He Whakaputanga me Te Tiriti, is taking a stand against racism in politics.

The group of Ngāpuhi descendants in the Education and Matauranga Māori sectors is demanding that governments, politicians, and media outlets be held accountable for the long-term impacts of their racist public statements and policies.

"It is time for Ngapuhi to call out politicians appealing to the underbelly of racism in New Zealand as we’re heading into an election. It's got to stop because you are harming our mokopuna" says Ipu.

The group was formed to address the inherent racism in the education system and now turns its attention to racism in politics.

They want to call out those in leadership positions who condone racism, racist acts, and race baiting as a manipulative tactic that has no place in politics.

“We need to shake the tree and make a big impact. Our aim is to spread our message and raise awareness about the dangers of allowing racism to continue in politics and everyday life,” says Hirini Tau.

Te Pourewa o Ngāpuhi also recognises the role that media plays in perpetuating racism against Māori, particularly through outlets such as the Herald and social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook.

“These platforms perpetuate harmful stereotypes and misinformation about Māori, reinforcing negative attitudes”, says Iti Joyce.

Recent examples of inflammatory racist statements in the media are beginning to surface, while articles and posts are able to be freely read and spread on social media when this type of hate continues to be click bait at the cost of our people.

“We urge media outlets to take responsibility, and we want the government to take a harder stance and even monitor this kind of behaviour,” says Phoebe Davis.

Te Pourewa o Ngāpuhi believes there needs to be better monitoring systems and that those who publicly display racist behavior should face consequences, including fines or even imprisonment.

Te Pourewa o Ngāpuhi is committed to bringing justice and equity to the education system and beyond.

About Te Pourewa o Ngāpuhi: Te Pourewa o Ngāpuhi is a Research & Development roopu in Kaikohe anchored by the founding documents, He Whakaputanga me Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The group is committed to bringing justice and equity to the education system and beyond.

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