What do you do

"What do you do?" That question was annoying and awkward to answer when I was unemployed, especially when I wanted to answer it without saying the word 'unemployed'. Since I've been working my attitude to being asked that question has changed. I'm sure there are some jobs that would be conversation stoppers. If I said I was a rubbish truck driver I'm sure the conversation would either stop there or quickly change topics. Saying I work at the Waitangi Tribunal has led to several lengthy conversations about the Tribunal, the Treaty and the settlements process. It helps that a lot of our friends and their friends and family that we've spent time with lately are public servants and know quite a bit about the Tribunal and settlements process and have similar views on the subject.

For those who don't know much about the Tribunal and settlements process here's a quick overview. When the British arrived in New Zealand Maori had already been living here for a long time. In 1840 the British signed the Treaty of Waitangi with Maori. The Treaty has been breached in many ways since. A lot of Maori land was taken by the Crown in a variety of ways, there were a number of wars, Maori culture was suppressed. Basically Maori were forced to give up their traditional ways of living in favour of British ways. Over the last 30 odd years the government has been trying to provide some redress. The Waitangi Tribunal investigates claims brought by Maori about things the Government has done that have harmed them. Maori can then (or instead) negotiate with the Government for what financial, cultural and property redress will be part of a settlement package.

I have yet to have a conversation with someone who has a different opinion about Treaty settlements to me but I know there are plenty of people out there with such opinions. A lot of white New Zealanders don't like that the Government is giving money and land to Maori and doing things like changing the official names of mountains and rivers to their Maori names or promoting the Maori language. At the same time there are some Maori who think the settlements don't go far enough.

I know the Treaty settlements process is not perfect; no human-designed system attempting to bring about justice is. But at least we are trying. We are acknowledging that things that have happened in the past, and things that are still happening today, shouldn't have happened. Stopping the settlements process or changing it when some iwi have settled and others haven't would be even more unjust.

To those white New Zealanders who don't like the settlements process I would say you should take some time to learn about our history and all the injustices that have been perpetrated against Maori. If you say it wasn't me, it's not my generation that is to blame, I would say two things - how are you suffering from the Government settling with Maori? and Jesus paid the price not for his own sins but for those of others.

To those Maori who say the settlements process doesn't give enough to Maori I would encourage you to acknowledge that the Government is trying to put things right and it is unrealistic to expect them to give back the full value of what was taken from you. Most importantly I would encourage you to try to forgive.

Never underestimate the importance of humility, forgiveness and grace in every situation and relationship, from government-level bi-cultural relations to relationships between friends and family.