�All royalties paid to the Crown� shall be paid by the Crown to Te Runanga oTranslation: everyone else pays, one tribe profits � and we�re told to shut up and call it justice.
Ngai Tahu.� (link below)
Quite long but worthwhile. A non-racist treatment of two of the country's most >pressing challenges.
by John Robertson
RACE, ROCKS, AND RIDICULOUS LAWS � NEW ZEALAND�S DESCENT INTO SPIRITUAL >BUREAUCRACY
It�s one thing to honour tradition. It�s another to let it write the laws. >Welcome to New Zealand � where geology meets theology, and sacred rocks outrank
secular rights.
In 1997, Parliament passed the Ngai Tahu (Pounamu Vesting) Act, a remarkable >piece of legislation that handed 100% of the South Island�s greenstone � >pounamu � to one tribal corporation. Not because they mined it. Not because >they bought it. But because their ancestors had a �spiritual connection� to it.
That�s right. A metaphysical feeling became legal title. This is not satire. >To make it worse, the Act also ensures all royalties from pounamu mining go >directly to Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu � not the taxpayer. According to the >official legislation:
�All royalties paid to the Crown� shall be paid by the Crown to Te Runanga o >>Ngai Tahu.� (link below)Translation: everyone else pays, one tribe profits � and we�re told to shut up >and call it justice.
But this isn�t just about a stone. It�s about a legal system cracking under the
weight of race-based privilege. New Zealand now has over 200 laws that >explicitly favour one racial group over others � often invoking �spiritual >connections� as justification. That�s not progressive. That�s theocratic >apartheid.
And while we�re busy pretending this is harmless, Ngai Tahu Holdings � the >commercial juggernaut at the heart of this � raked in $42.4 million in net >profit in 2024, with total assets surpassing $2 billion. Good for them. But >when that empire is fortified by laws no other New Zealander is allowed to >access, we�re not talking about culture anymore. We�re talking about >state-sponsored economic segregation.
Meanwhile, here�s what nobody wants to say out loud: race-based law makes no >biological sense anymore.
This is 2025 � not 1825. Humans have been interbreeding for centuries. Maori >people today are genetically mixed with European, Chinese, Indian, Pacific >Islander, and every other bloodline you can imagine. So how do we justify a >legal system where your eligibility for land, minerals, or financial advantage >is based on a blood quantum no one can actually measure?
Anthropology settled this decades ago: there is no such thing as a �pure� race.
Every New Zealander is genetically mixed to some degree. So when you create >legislation based on ancestry, you�re not preserving culture � you�re >fabricating a fiction. You�re using race as a political tool, wrapped in >spiritual language to avoid criticism.
This isn�t reconciliation. This is regression. We are no longer operating as a >modern secular democracy, but as a nation where laws are drafted to serve one >group�s sacred narrative, while everyone else is told they�re �colonisers� for >asking basic questions.
Let�s be brutally honest. If Christianity lobbied for exclusive mining rights >because their ancestors �felt spiritually connected� to gold, we�d laugh them >out of Parliament. But when it�s cloaked in Maori mythology, we bow in silence >and call it justice.
It�s time to decide: do we want equality before the law, or a legal caste >system dressed up as cultural sensitivity?
Because sacred rocks and sacred profits don�t belong in the same sentence � let
alone the same statute book. >https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1997/0081/7.0/DLM413187.html
TE WHARIKI, MAORI SPIRITUALITY, AND THE BLURRING OF STATE AND RELIGION IN NZ >EDUCATION
New Zealand�s national early childhood curriculum, Te Whariki, has undergone >significant changes � especially since its 2017 update. While intended to >reflect a bicultural framework, this curriculum now includes regular and >embedded references to Maori spiritual concepts, including:
Atua � gods or supernatural beings
Wairua � the soul or spirit
Mauri � life force
Mana atua � the power of gods
Karakia � spiritual incantations or prayers
These concepts are no longer merely taught about in a cultural context � they >are often practiced and integrated into daily activities in early childhood >centres and schools, including teacher-led karakia during morning sessions, >mealtimes, or school events.
If these elements came from a Christian, Hindu, or Muslim tradition, they would
likely be classified as religious content and restricted under the secular >obligations of the public education system.
Yet Maori spiritual belief � which includes gods, creation myths, afterlife >beliefs, and metaphysical forces � is not being referred to as religion, but >rather as �culture� or �spirituality.� This distinction is being used to >circumvent protections against religious indoctrination in state institutions. >Why This Matters
New Zealand does not have a formal, written constitution, but its laws and >practices have long reflected the principle of secularism in public education. >The Education and Training Act 2020, for example, affirms that:
�Every student has the right to freedom of religion and belief.�
The Act also outlines that religious instruction may only occur with written >parental consent and must be clearly separated from the rest of the school >curriculum. This requirement is clearly stated in Section 58 of the Act and >supported by Ministry of Education guidelines.
However, because Maori spirituality is not formally classified as �religion,� >its practices are not subject to this same scrutiny.
This legal inconsistency creates a troubling double standard:
Children are shielded from Christian prayer unless opted in by parents.
But Maori karakia and spiritual concepts are routinely opt-out only (if at all)
and are often mandatory or normalized, especially in early childhood education >where parents may not be fully informed.
Cultural Literacy vs. Spiritual Practice
There�s a clear and important difference between:
Teaching children about Maori culture and worldview (education), and >Involving them in spiritual rituals and metaphysical teachings (indoctrination).
Many parents, educators, and legal observers believe this line has been crossed.
No matter how well-intentioned, having non-Maori children participate in daily >karakia or be taught about wairua as fact is not simply cultural inclusion � it
is promoting spiritual beliefs under the authority of the state.
Legal and Ethical Concerns
1. Inconsistent Application of Secular Policy
Christian, Muslim, or Hindu practices are classified as �religion� and kept >separate from classroom learning.
Maori spiritual practices are rebranded as �culture� to avoid restrictions, >even though they include belief in gods, spirits, and an afterlife.
2. Violation of Parental Rights and Informed Consent
In many cases, parents are unaware their children are participating in >spiritual practices, or they are not offered a meaningful opt-out.
3. Risk of Coercion in Early Childhood Settings
Young children lack the cognitive ability to distinguish between cultural >learning and spiritual truth � especially when delivered by teachers in trusted
environments.
4. Cultural Favouritism by the State
The current system promotes one group�s spiritual worldview, while restricting >or excluding others � a clear form of institutional bias.
What Needs to Happen
This issue is not about rejecting Maori culture � it�s about ensuring fairness,
transparency, and legal consistency in public education. All New Zealanders >should be concerned when the government favours one spiritual belief system >while restricting others.
Proposed the following action plan:
1. Classify Maori Spiritual Belief as Religion Where Applicable
� Update Ministry of Education guidelines to recognize karakia, atua >references, and related concepts as religious content when presented in >practice, not just theory.
2. Require Informed Parental Consent
� Mandate that all spiritual practices in schools (including karakia) require >opt-in parental consent, in accordance with Section 58 of the Education and >Training Act 2020.
3. Establish Clear Guidelines for Cultural vs Religious Content
� Develop a public framework distinguishing between:
Teaching about beliefs (educational and cultural),
Promoting or leading spiritual practices (religious and subject to >restrictions).
4. Legal Review by Human Rights Commission or Ministry of Justice
� Initiate an independent review into whether current curriculum practices >violate the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990, especially Section 15 � >Freedom of Religion and Section 19 � Freedom from Discrimination.
5. Create a Formal Opt-Out Policy for All Early Learning Centres
� Require every state-funded preschool or kindergarten to notify parents of any
spiritual content and offer an opt-out mechanism.
Final Word
All belief systems � indigenous or otherwise � deserve respect. But no belief >system should be imposed on children without clear consent, especially in >state-funded educational environments.
This is not about attacking culture � it�s about upholding legal neutrality, >parental rights, and genuine secularism in New Zealand schools.
If secularism is going to be applied to Christian prayers in classrooms, it >must be applied equally to Maori spiritual practices.
The future of our education system � and the freedom of belief for all families
� depends on consistency, not double standards.
On Sat, 7 Jun 2025 00:33:09 -0000 (UTC), TonyThat is a lie.
<[email protected]> wrote:
Quite long but worthwhile. A non-racist treatment of two of the country's >>most
pressing challenges.
by John Robertson
RACE, ROCKS, AND RIDICULOUS LAWS � NEW ZEALAND�S DESCENT INTO SPIRITUAL >>BUREAUCRACY
A racist and far-right reactionary article - no surprise that it came
from a website linked to Cam Slater of "Dirty Tricks" fame. It
repeats lies about the Treaty. However we can celebrate one of the >settlements that would be locked in by Seymour's Regulatory Standards
Bill - and that bill would strengthen the rights of Te Runanga o Ngai
to sue anyone that wants to do anything that may reduce those rights,
with the support of the Crown.
It�s one thing to honour tradition. It�s another to let it write the laws. >>Welcome to New Zealand � where geology meets theology, and sacred rocks >>outrank
secular rights.
In 1997, Parliament passed the Ngai Tahu (Pounamu Vesting) Act, a remarkable >>piece of legislation that handed 100% of the South Island�s greenstone � >>pounamu � to one tribal corporation. Not because they mined it. Not because >>they bought it. But because their ancestors had a �spiritual connection� to >>it.
That�s right. A metaphysical feeling became legal title. This is not satire. >>To make it worse, the Act also ensures all royalties from pounamu mining go >>directly to Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu � not the taxpayer. According to the >>official legislation:
�All royalties paid to the Crown� shall be paid by the Crown to Te Runanga >>>oTranslation: everyone else pays, one tribe profits � and we�re told to shut >>up
Ngai Tahu.� (link below)
and call it justice.
But this isn�t just about a stone. It�s about a legal system cracking under >>the
weight of race-based privilege. New Zealand now has over 200 laws that >>explicitly favour one racial group over others � often invoking �spiritual >>connections� as justification. That�s not progressive. That�s theocratic >>apartheid.
And while we�re busy pretending this is harmless, Ngai Tahu Holdings � the >>commercial juggernaut at the heart of this � raked in $42.4 million in net >>profit in 2024, with total assets surpassing $2 billion. Good for them. But >>when that empire is fortified by laws no other New Zealander is allowed to >>access, we�re not talking about culture anymore. We�re talking about >>state-sponsored economic segregation.
Meanwhile, here�s what nobody wants to say out loud: race-based law makes no >>biological sense anymore.
This is 2025 � not 1825. Humans have been interbreeding for centuries. Maori >>people today are genetically mixed with European, Chinese, Indian, Pacific >>Islander, and every other bloodline you can imagine. So how do we justify a >>legal system where your eligibility for land, minerals, or financial >>advantage
is based on a blood quantum no one can actually measure?
Anthropology settled this decades ago: there is no such thing as a �pure� >>race.
Every New Zealander is genetically mixed to some degree. So when you create >>legislation based on ancestry, you�re not preserving culture � you�re >>fabricating a fiction. You�re using race as a political tool, wrapped in >>spiritual language to avoid criticism.
This isn�t reconciliation. This is regression. We are no longer operating as >>a
modern secular democracy, but as a nation where laws are drafted to serve one >>group�s sacred narrative, while everyone else is told they�re �colonisers� >>for
asking basic questions.
Let�s be brutally honest. If Christianity lobbied for exclusive mining rights >>because their ancestors �felt spiritually connected� to gold, we�d laugh them >>out of Parliament. But when it�s cloaked in Maori mythology, we bow in >>silence
and call it justice.
It�s time to decide: do we want equality before the law, or a legal caste >>system dressed up as cultural sensitivity?
Because sacred rocks and sacred profits don�t belong in the same sentence � >>let
alone the same statute book. >>https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1997/0081/7.0/DLM413187.html
TE WHARIKI, MAORI SPIRITUALITY, AND THE BLURRING OF STATE AND RELIGION IN NZ >>EDUCATION
New Zealand�s national early childhood curriculum, Te Whariki, has undergone >>significant changes � especially since its 2017 update. While intended to >>reflect a bicultural framework, this curriculum now includes regular and >>embedded references to Maori spiritual concepts, including:
Atua � gods or supernatural beings
Wairua � the soul or spirit
Mauri � life force
Mana atua � the power of gods
Karakia � spiritual incantations or prayers
These concepts are no longer merely taught about in a cultural context � they >>are often practiced and integrated into daily activities in early childhood >>centres and schools, including teacher-led karakia during morning sessions, >>mealtimes, or school events.
If these elements came from a Christian, Hindu, or Muslim tradition, they >>would
likely be classified as religious content and restricted under the secular >>obligations of the public education system.
Yet Maori spiritual belief � which includes gods, creation myths, afterlife >>beliefs, and metaphysical forces � is not being referred to as religion, but >>rather as �culture� or �spirituality.� This distinction is being used to >>circumvent protections against religious indoctrination in state institutions.
Why This Matters
New Zealand does not have a formal, written constitution, but its laws and >>practices have long reflected the principle of secularism in public >>education.
The Education and Training Act 2020, for example, affirms that:
�Every student has the right to freedom of religion and belief.�
The Act also outlines that religious instruction may only occur with written >>parental consent and must be clearly separated from the rest of the school >>curriculum. This requirement is clearly stated in Section 58 of the Act and >>supported by Ministry of Education guidelines.
However, because Maori spirituality is not formally classified as �religion,� >>its practices are not subject to this same scrutiny.
This legal inconsistency creates a troubling double standard:
Children are shielded from Christian prayer unless opted in by parents.
But Maori karakia and spiritual concepts are routinely opt-out only (if at >>all)
and are often mandatory or normalized, especially in early childhood >>education
where parents may not be fully informed.
Cultural Literacy vs. Spiritual Practice
There�s a clear and important difference between:
Teaching children about Maori culture and worldview (education), and >>Involving them in spiritual rituals and metaphysical teachings >>(indoctrination).
Many parents, educators, and legal observers believe this line has been >>crossed.
No matter how well-intentioned, having non-Maori children participate in >>daily
karakia or be taught about wairua as fact is not simply cultural inclusion � >>it
is promoting spiritual beliefs under the authority of the state.
Legal and Ethical Concerns
1. Inconsistent Application of Secular Policy
Christian, Muslim, or Hindu practices are classified as �religion� and kept >>separate from classroom learning.
Maori spiritual practices are rebranded as �culture� to avoid restrictions, >>even though they include belief in gods, spirits, and an afterlife.
2. Violation of Parental Rights and Informed Consent
In many cases, parents are unaware their children are participating in >>spiritual practices, or they are not offered a meaningful opt-out.
3. Risk of Coercion in Early Childhood Settings
Young children lack the cognitive ability to distinguish between cultural >>learning and spiritual truth � especially when delivered by teachers in >>trusted
environments.
4. Cultural Favouritism by the State
The current system promotes one group�s spiritual worldview, while >>restricting
or excluding others � a clear form of institutional bias.
What Needs to Happen
This issue is not about rejecting Maori culture � it�s about ensuring >>fairness,
transparency, and legal consistency in public education. All New Zealanders >>should be concerned when the government favours one spiritual belief system >>while restricting others.
Proposed the following action plan:
1. Classify Maori Spiritual Belief as Religion Where Applicable
� Update Ministry of Education guidelines to recognize karakia, atua >>references, and related concepts as religious content when presented in >>practice, not just theory.
2. Require Informed Parental Consent
� Mandate that all spiritual practices in schools (including karakia) require >>opt-in parental consent, in accordance with Section 58 of the Education and >>Training Act 2020.
3. Establish Clear Guidelines for Cultural vs Religious Content
� Develop a public framework distinguishing between:
Teaching about beliefs (educational and cultural),
Promoting or leading spiritual practices (religious and subject to >>restrictions).
4. Legal Review by Human Rights Commission or Ministry of Justice
� Initiate an independent review into whether current curriculum practices >>violate the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990, especially Section 15 � >>Freedom of Religion and Section 19 � Freedom from Discrimination.
5. Create a Formal Opt-Out Policy for All Early Learning Centres
� Require every state-funded preschool or kindergarten to notify parents of >>any
spiritual content and offer an opt-out mechanism.
Final Word
All belief systems � indigenous or otherwise � deserve respect. But no belief >>system should be imposed on children without clear consent, especially in >>state-funded educational environments.
This is not about attacking culture � it�s about upholding legal neutrality, >>parental rights, and genuine secularism in New Zealand schools.
If secularism is going to be applied to Christian prayers in classrooms, it >>must be applied equally to Maori spiritual practices.
The future of our education system � and the freedom of belief for all >>families
� depends on consistency, not double standards.
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