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kaila_robertson's review
5.0
moana jackson's chapter alone is 5 stars
honestly this book is ur one stop shop if u want to know more about decolonising aotearoa and how we can uplift and use mātauranga māori to the benefit of the country without exploiting it. this is the beginning of my foray into researching this as a future teacher, especially bc the education system is set up to benefit a certain demographic and i want to be able to reach every student as best i can, no matter their identity or background. decolonisation benefits everyone, not just māori.
honestly this book is ur one stop shop if u want to know more about decolonising aotearoa and how we can uplift and use mātauranga māori to the benefit of the country without exploiting it. this is the beginning of my foray into researching this as a future teacher, especially bc the education system is set up to benefit a certain demographic and i want to be able to reach every student as best i can, no matter their identity or background. decolonisation benefits everyone, not just māori.
bookslut007's review
5.0
Important kōrero. The last chapter had me shook. This book should be part of school curriculum. This book should be read by every New Zealander. This book is IT!!
nunchikoi's review
challenging
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
5.0
A wonderful anthology of Aotearoan voices on how to preserve Indigeneity and keep it alive. It breaks down the capitalist and Eurocentric ideologies that we either knowingly or unwittingly hold on to and provides alternative perspectives and ways of knowing and being that are rooted in—as the title suggests—Moanan or Oceanic imaginations.
A great introduction for anyone wanting to look into what colonisation actually is, how it's felt and constructed, and how it can be overcome.
A great introduction for anyone wanting to look into what colonisation actually is, how it's felt and constructed, and how it can be overcome.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Colonisation and Violence
peterdonelan's review
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
These are challenging and inspiring pieces by a group of outstanding thinkers and writers. As a recent pākeha (first generation) it has taken me a long time to realise the simplicity embodied in te Tiriti. Moana Jackson’s closing chapter poetically and powerfully paints an achievable dream that we should all continue to strive for, against the current of the new government, attempting to wash those bright colours away.
dels_bookmarks's review
4.0
I’ve had this on my shelf for a long time, and it’s been so good to finally pick it up.
The BWB Texts tagline is “Short books on big subjects by great New Zealand writers” and that’s exactly what this is: a short introduction to first defining, then discussing, what decolonisation could be.
In saying that, it took me a while month to read because it goes hand in hand with a lot of thinking. It made me consider my role as a parent, a teacher, and a land “owner”.
From the comparison in the first essay by Mike Ross of colonisation to an abusive marriage, the book tackles ideas that many New Zealanders may shy away from. Especially those that think colonisation is a finished thing that happened ages ago.
What hit home for me was understanding that we are even viewing colonisation (and all the ongoing hurt, damage, and loss) in Pākehā terms from a Pākehā viewpoint. And we can’t view decolonising this way for it to be successful.
The book doesn’t offer solutions, but is powerful nonetheless in its ability to start a discussion in coherent, thoughtful, and intelligent ways to help the reader unpack some of the concepts.
It is hopeful. And Moana Jackson’s thoughts on restoration, on justice and values in particular, show a way forward. I loved how his essay is about stories.
“From the moment that the ancestors began to know this land as the Mother, Papatūānuku, stories have had the capacity to guide and teach as well as entertain and warn.
The stories named our right to stand in this place and provided an intellectual tradition that gave us insight into the obligations that went with the right to stand.
Colonisation is an injustice that is often too painful to be told; and the relationships it has damaged and continues to damage can seem beyond repair. Yet the stories and their hope may be a guide to resolution.”
Moana Jackson
The BWB Texts tagline is “Short books on big subjects by great New Zealand writers” and that’s exactly what this is: a short introduction to first defining, then discussing, what decolonisation could be.
In saying that, it took me a while month to read because it goes hand in hand with a lot of thinking. It made me consider my role as a parent, a teacher, and a land “owner”.
From the comparison in the first essay by Mike Ross of colonisation to an abusive marriage, the book tackles ideas that many New Zealanders may shy away from. Especially those that think colonisation is a finished thing that happened ages ago.
What hit home for me was understanding that we are even viewing colonisation (and all the ongoing hurt, damage, and loss) in Pākehā terms from a Pākehā viewpoint. And we can’t view decolonising this way for it to be successful.
The book doesn’t offer solutions, but is powerful nonetheless in its ability to start a discussion in coherent, thoughtful, and intelligent ways to help the reader unpack some of the concepts.
It is hopeful. And Moana Jackson’s thoughts on restoration, on justice and values in particular, show a way forward. I loved how his essay is about stories.
“From the moment that the ancestors began to know this land as the Mother, Papatūānuku, stories have had the capacity to guide and teach as well as entertain and warn.
The stories named our right to stand in this place and provided an intellectual tradition that gave us insight into the obligations that went with the right to stand.
Colonisation is an injustice that is often too painful to be told; and the relationships it has damaged and continues to damage can seem beyond repair. Yet the stories and their hope may be a guide to resolution.”
Moana Jackson
jennynz's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
Required reading!