Asians Supporting Tino Rangatiratanga is calling for Asians living in Aotearoa to support the protection of sacred Māori land at Ihumātao 12:30 pm, Sunday 4th August.

“We are calling for our communities to do our part in healing the injustices of colonial land confiscation, to honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi which promised that Māori would retain their sovereignty on their own land,” says Fiona Ting, a spokesperson for Asians Supporting Tino Rangatiratanga (ASTR).

Ihumātao is Auckland’s oldest settlement. It holds massive historical, cultural, spiritual and archaeological significance for all the people of Aotearoa, and especially for Māori who have ancestral connections to the land. It has 800 years of continuous human settlement.

“Many of us have already been there over the last week to support the peaceful reclamation and it’s been beautiful to experience the warmth and hospitality of the people there. This land means so much to families who are affected and should be protected. We have seen and heard the hurt, pain and trauma associated with land loss, from both children, young people and elders of the area,” Ting continues.

In 1863, Ihumātao was confiscated from Māori who refused to pledge allegiance to the Crown. Māori were dispossessed of their land by force. This injustice has not been remedied and now this land is under threat for housing developments by Fletcher Building Ltd. that will further desecrate Ihumātao.

“To help Asian communities better understand the situation, we translated a summary of the background of Ihumātao into 8 Asian languages, which is available on our social media. We want to invite our communities to join us this Sunday to show our support and stand with the people at Ihumātao who are peacefully protecting the land,” she says.

ASTR is a group committed to supporting Māori sovereignty through treaty education with Asian communities and solidarity with Māori-led movements.

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