We now have a pseudo-iwi which administers a totally inadequate settlement fund on behalf of all of our marae kainga. And we must all become charitable organisations in order to receive a very small portion of that capital. And, as one of my elders stated some years back, "It's hardly enough to buy nails".
I was recently informed by those "administrators" that to access those funds I must submit a feasibility study and a business plan.
This idea that an iwi should "administer" the hapū and marae is the antithesis of the Māori culture, and a blatant example of "social engineering" - the corporatisation of our Māori culture, and what little land we retain must eventually destroy what's left of our traditions and identity.
But hold on a minute, mate. The latest review of Te Ture Whenua Māori has been chucked out by the new Government. Perhaps I will be able to say to my mokopuna, "Hoki atu ki te kainga"; Let's go back to Waitotara and build a house, and have a big garden, and some horses, etc. That situation which in colonial times was depicted as "subsistence farming". Which was just another lie and an excuse to take the land. But I won't be holding my breath.
POTONGA NEILSON
Castlecliff
Be tolerant
It appears that Mandy Donne Lee walks over the rights of others who choose to follow their own Christian beliefs which are not identical to her own (Letters, November 8). She risks her eternal life by disobeying a commandment of God, that judgement is His to make, not hers or mine. Better read your Bible, Mandy; remind yourself of His commandments.
Generally, I urge any who are critical of differing ways of worship to read ALL of Romans. The consistent message, both plain and subtle, is tolerance of the differing yet godly ways that people have of living their lives.
We are losing tolerance in today's world, more's the pity...
Read your Bibles, everybody please, and stop annoying those genuine righteous people (like me and many others) who sincerely worship the same God, but in a different though godly way.
To those who argue there is but one way to Heaven, I say read Romans - again - prayerfully, with your mind open, and stop nagging people who, to your probable surprise, you will meet again in Heaven.
And, sorry Mandy, but I had to laugh with amusement at the closing sentence in your November 8 letter: "Nature is not equal to its maker, but a signpost pointing to Him". My Darwinist friends (I'm tolerant, remember...) would simply say to that statement: "Of course it is. Anyone who wants to make up any religion at all would have to start with the most fundamental premise of all, that the religion to be concocted would have to claim that nature was a reflection of (or signpost to) God" (because, by definition, the God would have made "everything").
It becomes self-evident, any religion past present or future has to claim the beauty of nature is evidence of their god's existence.
All praise to Isis - or should that be Zeus, or...?
To the religious, studious, humble Tom Pittams, published author on religious matters whom Mandy "corrected" in her letter: Thank you.
Your wise comments are uplifting, as always.
STAN HOOD
Aramoho
The silent ones
I was just listening to laughter coming from across the street from several children on a lovely, clear October evening and realised (because it is important to me) there are 500,000 unborns who don't know what laughter might be, don't know of the joy of learning how to use a swing or take a daring plunge down a very small slide.
There shall be no bike ride to Rabbit Island or a walk along Castlecliff Beach, never shall know what it is like to play with other children at school or squabble with a sibling. They are premature children who never spoke a word, not even "Mum" or "Dad".
Something is terribly wrong.
F HALPIN
Whanganui
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