Walkout of Maori greetings depicts prejudice and ignorance in New Zealand culture

OPINION: The Maori Neighborhoods Forum at Massey University last week allowed students and staff to hear from both sides.

The speakers for the creation of the Maori neighborhoods were Wiremu Te Awe Awe and Teanau Tuiono, while Don Esslemont and Mike Butler spoke out against it.

Before the debate started, Esslemont, the campaign organizer to overturn Palmerston North City Council’s decision to establish Maori neighborhoods, left the MUSA student lounge because he refused to listen to a mihi – a short welcome in te reo Maori which lasted less than 30 seconds.

He stood on the other side of the glass doors until the mihi was over, then returned to sit.

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Esslemont did not leave the room to take a phone call or for any other reason – he had told the staff member who greeted everyone that he was not going to listen to a mihi or anything else in te reo maori. It was passed on to the public.

Esslemont confirmed his exit was an intentional act when he was challenged by Wiremu Te Awe Awe during the debate. Esslemont said the Maori wards proposal was “evil.”

In response, Te Awe Awe said that Esslemont’s action of leaving the room to avoid listening to a Maori mihi in te reo was racist.

A colleague said to me: “Does he [Esslemont] do the same if he was in Japan and someone spoke Japanese? “

I doubt he will come out.

Yes, he had every right to leave the MUSA student lounge – everyone has freedom of movement. But what did his action signify?

Nonverbal actions communicate information to others, whether the message is intentional or not. Esslemont’s action gave insight into his thinking and prejudices. Esslemont does not want a Maori voice at the council table. He doesn’t want to hear a Maori voice, period.

The same applies to his Hobson’s Pledge mate, Don Brash, who doesn’t like reporters “dumping” in te reo Māori. It’s no surprise that Hobson’s Pledge funded most of the Esslemont campaign in Palmerston North, which was found at the forum to have cost tens of thousands of dollars.

Esslemont is a former member of the academic staff at Massey University – he was a lecturer at a school that merged with mine. I wonder how he treated his Maori students. Did he leave the room when they said “kia ora!”?

For the sake of the Maori students and the only Maori scholar (well yours) out of around 50 academic staff at my school, I am glad that he is long retired.

The Massey University Strategy (2018-2022) proudly states that the university is “led by Tiriti” and “it will demonstrate informed practices consistent with Maori tikanga and adopt Maori kaupapa in all of our activities.” Sorry, Don: the mihi remains.

Maori cultural practices are embedded in our university and are an integral part of our identity. This is Aotearoa New Zealand – the home of te reo Māori.

Esslemont said during the debate that he was an immigrant to this country. If Esslemont doesn’t want to hear our beautiful Maori language, maybe he should go beyond the door and consider a one-way ticket back to his home country.

Mā te wā, Don.

* Dr Steve Elers is Senior Lecturer in the School of Communication, Journalism and Marketing at Massey University. He is currently writing a book on Pākehā culture and communication.