The Apology (Ifoga) for Dawn Raids by NZ government...

 

Yesterday, was an unprecedented day for the Pacific communities and especially for Samoans with an apology given by the NZ government for the Dawn Raids that occurred during the 1970s that impacted people of colour including Tongans, Niueans, Cook Islanders and Maori etc.

The picture on the left is the 'ifoga' or Samoa process of asking for forgiveness and showing remorse with the Right Honourable Prime Minister of NZ, Jacinda Ardern, covered with a 'Ie Tonga' or 'Ie Samoa' fine mat and when it is lifted by the transgressed party it signals the acceptance of the apology. Very symbolic and very pointed.

I must say that it brought tears in seeing our Prime Minister show such humility, strength and courage to take on this position. 

It is also demonstrated genuine remorse that many Western countries around the world need to take heed of when working through issues and transgressions with indigenous peoples. Prime Minister Ardern illustrated the depth of her understanding in taking such a stance.

It is unprecedented in that I do not know of any other Western political leader of a nation to take on such an indigenous way of asking for acceptance of an apology. For many Samoans who know the depth of such a symbolic way asking for forgiveness, this is not an act that can be taken lightly.

A former Prime Minister of NZ, Helen Clark, did apologize on behalf of the NZ government in June of 2002, for the many thousands of people who died in Samoa as a result of NZ's negligent administration, at the time, in allowing the Influenza epidemic to enter Samoa without taking any preventative measures. Her's was through a speech that was presented publicly.

A lot of thought went into the yesterday's evening event from the beginning to the end that included many speakers and also reparation, of sorts, with $2.1 million scholarships for Pacific peoples, resources made to support the teaching of this time period and also opportunities for Pacific leaders to come to NZ. More details are available on the Ministry of Pacific Peoples website.

Spare a thought for the many labelled 'over stayers' survivors who did not get to hear the heart felt apology. Many family members are now able to understand the depth of what victims or survivors went through and can now carve a different path of freedom for what they went through...