Dear 17,

HAPPY NEW ZEALAND DAY TO ALL NEW ZEALANDERS

Kaitiaki

As The Conservatives, how do we relate to the concept of Kaitiaki? Our calling is to enhance that which has proven itself to make our nation great. The concept of everyone working together to protect our natural environment would seem to be a great fit.

The issues arise when one digs a little deeper. By definition, a kaitiaki is a person or group that is recognised as a guardian by the tangata whenua (tribal group with authority in a particular area). The guardianship extends beyond the natural into the pantheistic animist world, guarding the mana (spiritual power/fear) and mauri (life force) of the specific natural elements.

First, there is the issue of authority. In a democratic society, authority for overall resource allocation and control is retained by the government, whether local or central, rather than by a particular religious/ethnic group. Then there is the ability to successfully manage the resource for the benefit of all, which should be allocated to organisations or individuals in a meritocratic way.

Furthermore, our laws are based on the Judeo/Christian worldview, which is fundamentally incompatible with pantheistic animism.

Kaitiaki is incompatible with the secular nature of public life in New Zealand.

This clash of worldviews will become increasingly destructive as the false, seditious belief that sovereignty was not ceded by the majority of Māori chiefs in 1840 becomes more deeply embedded in our society.

Our new Spokesman for Culture, Steve Chick, wrote the above.

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