I am a individual that has not necessarily been able to relate to recent demonstrations, passion for cultures and religions that we have been experiencing of late but think I got my own little taste on the streets of Sydney this weekend.
Okay and this is NOTHING to the impassioned beliefs of so many, just an insight into how passionate I could feel. So "a put into perspective" for me, for the ones standing up for their heritage and who they are.
My story is as follows and how I posted my disbelief on my personal Facebook page:
I was out on Friday night in Sydney with a girlfriend, I stopped to help some guys with directions (yes cute... of course) and I picked the Kiwi accent, commented on it.
Then a white guy standing a bit to the side started speaking to me in Maori , finished and turned to me saying in English "do you understand that?..." Of course I did not, so answered honestly "No"
He then accused me of not being from New Zealand: why I have no idea, and this cut me a bit, well alot really, why would I lie!!
I just walked (well stormed) away, disillusioned by the fact that I am not considered to be a Kiwi because I do not understand Maori! and that a fellow Kiwi is now this judgmental.... not very New Zealand at all, well the New Zealand I remember!!
(note: all four were very Pakeha, well visually to the eye they were)
So my thoughts now from this encounter are until we are challenged or feel personally, the judgement of someone else in relation to our birth right, to acceptance and to understanding, we cannot comment.
I really wanted to fight my birth place, and knock back the accuser, and was surprised at how passionate I felt. Knowing too how insignificant my encounter was, I cannot compare it to lost life, family and birth right: that my anger was only a tiny insight into how I could feel.
But what it does enlighten to me, is that until something happens to me personally I am not in a position to understand how these losses can effect so immensely, even for a generation or two to come.
Please think about stopping the hurt, do your little bit to transform your love ones into the a thought pattern of not judging based on race, religious belief, colour or sound of vocal dialectic, but to judge on personal relationships, individual encounters and memories with people you took the time out to get to know: for no other reason than, just because they breathe the same air as you do.
We are all different, we all have different beliefs and not one of us is in a position to judge!!