May 30, 2014
Conditional support for Sydney "marae"
Sydney-based Maori have made a presentation to the Iwi Leaders Forum about their desire for a marae.
The group is trying to get council land in Parramatta in Sydney’s west.
Iwi forum member Willie Te Aho says while there is support for people to create a whare wananga to pass on knowledge and culture, or a whare ahuru or community centre, some iwi are uncomfortable with the notion of fully-fledged marae over the ditch.
" A shelter place for them in their times of grief, absolutely support that notion. But mind to the 128,000 Maori that are in Australia is, haere ki reira tu atu engari hoki mai ki konei takato ai, so come home. Come home we need you back home this is where your identity is and so hoki mai ki te wa kainga" he says.
Willie Te Aho says the Iwi Leaders Forum also heard presentations on treaty settlement policy, water, fisheries and climate change.
FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH WILLIE TE AHO CLICK ON THE LINK
https://secure.zeald.com/uma/play_podcast?podlink=MTg2OTA=
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