New Zealand has been voted second-best

**nbfan** · 09-11-2006, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T-dub

lol i agree i think USA should be 1st also!!!
And ????SPAIN??? What the heck is that?

I, a US citizen LOLed at that post.

FTS · 09-11-2006, 09:20 PM

"...For this is a country that recognises and respects its indigenous people."
Now I, as a Maori/Pakeha, have to laugh at that.

nix · 09-11-2006, 09:26 PM

Well, it does far more than australia does it's aboriginals.

*edit* more than I've come across other countries to respect and recognise the indigenous people

FTS · 09-11-2006, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nix

Well, it does far more than australia does it's aboriginals.

*edit* more than I've come across other countries to respect and recognise the indigenous people

I never denied that Maori have it better than natives from other countries. That still doesn't take away from the fact that we're hardly recognised, and barely respected. Introducing the Maori roll and electorate was a big step in the right direction though.

Moon Boots · 09-12-2006, 08:09 AM

I've heard alot of people saying that gang culture is rife in New Zealand. Apparently there are a lot of `black power` gangs as well?

It sounds like exaggerated rubbish, but can someone clear this up for me?

FTS · 09-12-2006, 08:34 AM

Pretty much. I don't know if I'd say "rife", but it's definitely there, and not going away.

There's the National Front (basically a white supremecist group/gang), Skinheads, Mongrel Mob, Black Power, Head Hunters, Crips and Bloods. There may be a few more I'm forgetting/don't know about. Oh, I believe we had some Triads here as well.

Moon Boots · 09-12-2006, 08:47 AM

Oh right, that really doesn't sound good.

FTS · 09-12-2006, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moon Boots

Oh right, that really doesn't sound good.

There's no more gang activity than there is elsewhere, I'd say. It's concentrated in some areas, less in others. To my knowledge, there's very little "organised crime". One thing we've seemingly managed to keep away, also, is the KKK and Nazi "stuff" (for lack of a better term

).

It seems so frightening when you bring it all out at once, but you have to realise these are relatively small groups (because we're a small country), and they're spread out. And certainly not to brag or make light of previous events, but so far we've had no terrorist attacks.

Moon Boots · 09-12-2006, 09:22 AM

Okay then. I guess you're probably safer in New Zealand than I am in London.

BertBadger · 10-14-2006, 11:56 PM

Kepa, I see you're in Auckland so that may explain your comment about all the "National Front (basically a white supremecist group/gang), Skinheads, Mongrel Mob, Black Power, Head Hunters, Crips and Bloods" (as well as "I believe we had some Triads here as well").

I live in Hawke's Bay, have also lived in Wellington and the Waikato, and have travelled the country extensively. I have seen only a handful of gang members in my entire life (of 40-plus years). I can't remember the last occasion, it must have been some time ago.

Perhaps you see more of them in Auckland, but I visit there infrequently, though on the occasions I have done so I can't recall encountering any obvious gang types. Perhaps I need stronger presecription specs?

As well, I must say that I disagree with your statement suggesting Maori are "hardly recognised, and barely respected". Can you explain why you think that?

There are Maori Members of Parliament, some of our finest sportsmen and women and entertainers have been/are Maori, we have great Maori writers and artists. Had Winston Peters not left the National Party he would probably have been our first Maori Prime Minister, Buck Shelford, a Maori, is still revered as one of our greatest rugby captains . . . need I mention Dame Kiri, Sir Howard, Michael Campbell, Alan Duff, With Ihimaera, George Nepia (I was lucky enough to meet him, a truly lovely man apart from being a rugby great),
Witi Ihimaera, Adam Parore? They are a mere handful of Maori who were (and are) well recognised and respected.

Are Maori, as a race, respected by pakeha? By the vast majority, yes. There will always be the odd bigot or racist (even among Maori) but I would say that at least 95 percent of fellow pakeha I have met would treat Maori, pakeha, Asians, Europeans exactly the same.

After all, we're all New Zealanders, aren't we? Brothers and sisters, all in the same canoe. And looking around the world, I'd say it's one of the better canoes to be in.