E-Tangata

It's the systems we need to fix, not our people | E-Tangata “What we report on isn’t new, but the urgency of the need is only increasing.” — Charm Skinner, te ao Māori policy analyst, on this year’s State of the Nation report from the Salvation Army.

“What we report on isn’t new, but the urgency of the need is only increasing.” — Charm Skinner, te ao Māori policy analyst, on this year’s State of the Nation report from the Salvation Army.

Iwi can lead us through the climate crisis | E-Tangata “It is remarkable that our country has commenced recognising Indigenous ancestors in some significant lands and waters. It’s time to be next-level courageous with general conservation and environmenta...

“It is remarkable that our country has commenced recognising Indigenous ancestors in some significant lands and waters. It’s time to be next-level courageous with general conservation and environmental law.” — Jacinta Ruru.

Reckoning with a German museum’s Pacific past | E-Tangata “Now that I'm inside the belly of the beast, I can see that there's a lot of goodwill, but there's also a lot of anxiety.” — Dr Safua Akeli on her work at a German museum grappling its colonial histor...

“Now that I’m inside the belly of the beast, I can see that there’s a lot of goodwill, but there’s also a lot of anxiety.” — Dr Safua Akeli on her work at a German museum grappling its colonial history.

Maia Joseph: Doing what I love | E-Tangata “Mum's an artist because she loves painting, and Dad's a rugby coach because he loves rugby. So, that's a huge reason why I want to pursue what I love, not just find a job.” — Maia Joseph, Black Fern ...

“Mum’s an artist because she loves painting, and Dad’s a rugby coach because he loves rugby. So, that’s a huge reason why I want to pursue what I love, not just find a job.” — Maia Joseph, Black Fern and medical student.

We refused to accept injustice | E-Tangata “We spent years speaking to people in all sorts of places, from Rotary Clubs to historical societies and business conferences. Basically, we’d talk to anyone who wanted to know the story.” — Kerensa J...

“We spent years speaking to people in all sorts of places, from Rotary Clubs to historical societies and business conferences. Basically, we’d talk to anyone who wanted to know the story.” — Kerensa Johnston on the fight for the Nelson Tenths.

Paakehaa generally need to be more aware of the history of conservationism as colonisation in this country and also as a relatively conservative movement that often sought to maintain environmentally destructive Paakehaa society and norms through an ideology of separation.

One Māori in the room isn’t enough | E-Tangata “Two Māori combined may just get their point across, but one Māori alone often goes unheard.” — Aroha Gilling.

“Two Māori combined may just get their point across, but one Māori alone often goes unheard.” — Aroha Gilling.

Becky Manawatu: Kataraina and beyond | E-Tangata “Whatever my original idea was for the book, it didn’t stand a chance against the spiritual thirst I had for kawakawa green to spill across my life and work, which was the desire to respond to the dea...

“Whatever my original idea was for the book, it didn’t stand a chance against the spiritual thirst I had for kawakawa green to spill across my life and work, which was the desire to respond to the deaths and violence of Auē.” — Becky Manawatu on writing Kataraina.

A more critical history of Forest & Bird | E-Tangata “For all intents and purposes, Forest & Bird waged a media and political war on Ngāi Tahu and the Crown during negotiations.” — Martin Fisher.

“For all intents and purposes, Forest & Bird waged a media and political war on Ngāi Tahu and the Crown during negotiations.” — Martin Fisher.

A deeply uncomfortable conversation | E-Tangata “Within the marae gates, one conversation comes up time and time again: What should we do about sexual abusers, including paedophiles and intimate partner abusers, who want to speak on the paepae tapu...

“Within the marae gates, one conversation comes up time and time again: What should we do about sexual abusers, including paedophiles and intimate partner abusers, who want to speak on the paepae tapu?” — Te Aniwaniwa Paterson.

Breaking through the biggest barrier to learning te reo | E-Tangata “When we’re feeling vulnerable, with negative self-chatter going round and round in our heads, the fear of making a mistake stills our tongues.” — Atakohu Middleton talks to Awanui Te Huia about how n...

“When we’re feeling vulnerable, with negative self-chatter going round and round in our heads, the fear of making a mistake stills our tongues.” — Atakohu Middleton talks to Awanui Te Huia about how negative self-talk can undermine efforts to learn te reo.

Kim Workman: My life in the criminal justice system | E-Tangata “My first response to going inside Kohitere was one of anger and disbelief… Anger that no one understood that the offenders of today were almost always the victims of yesterday.” — Tā Kim Workman refl...

“My first response to going inside Kohitere was one of anger and disbelief… Anger that no one understood that the offenders of today were almost always the victims of yesterday.” — Tā Kim Workman reflects on his long career in the criminal justice system.

Lighter paperwork, or better care? | E-Tangata “The trouble is, medicines sit inside real lives. And for many whānau, those lives include multiple conditions, inconsistent access to care, and long gaps between clinical reviews.” — Brandi Hudson.

“The trouble is, medicines sit inside real lives. And for many whānau, those lives include multiple conditions, inconsistent access to care, and long gaps between clinical reviews.” — Brandi Hudson.

An Indigenous diplomacy is possible | E-Tangata “The alternative rules-based order could be crafted to open political spaces for substantive participation by Indigenous peoples as peoples of inherent agency. They could participate as shareholders i...

“The alternative rules-based order could be crafted to open political spaces for substantive participation by Indigenous peoples as peoples of inherent agency. They could participate as shareholders in public authority, not as stakeholders to be consulted.” — Dominic O’Sullivan.

Our prisons cause more harm | E-Tangata "Lots of people in our society are happy to have vast amounts spent on the mass imprisonment of our Indigenous population. It's an industry. And the industry relies on society thinking that this is th...

“Lots of people in our society are happy to have vast amounts spent on the mass imprisonment of our Indigenous population. It’s an industry. And the industry relies on society thinking that this is the only way.” — Paula King.

What the PM said at Waitangi was wrong | E-Tangata “When the prime minister spoke at Waitangi he set out a terribly distorted view of the country’s founding document.” — Carwyn Jones.

“When the prime minister spoke at Waitangi he set out a terribly distorted view of the country’s founding document.” — Carwyn Jones.

Brown and sorted | E-Tangata “Every ancestor that has ever lived is still a part of your family. Their physical absence doesn't alter their ongoing impact on your life. One of the beauties of living a brown life is to know you're...

“Every ancestor that has ever lived is still a part of your family. Their physical absence doesn’t alter their ongoing impact on your life. One of the beauties of living a brown life is to know you’re never alone.” — Tainui Stephens.

Making an uncommon land | E-Tangata “They were unwitting participants in the violence of colonisation, imperialism and capitalism, just as we, their descendants, continue to be today.” — Catherine Knight on her settler ancestors.

“They were unwitting participants in the violence of colonisation, imperialism and capitalism, just as we, their descendants, continue to be today.” — Catherine Knight on her settler ancestors.

Restoring Aunty's real name | E-Tangata “She began life as Narua, and she was Narua when she passed. In between, a wrong was corrected. The mana of her name was restored.” — Maureen Sinton.

“She began life as Narua, and she was Narua when she passed. In between, a wrong was corrected. The mana of her name was restored.” — Maureen Sinton.

Summer reading: A year of resistance and hope | E-Tangata Alongside the many critiques of government policies that we published in 2025, we also ran many pieces about fortitude, accomplishment, and optimism. These are the stories that we’d like to leave you ...

Alongside the many critiques of government policies that we published in 2025, we also ran many pieces about fortitude, accomplishment, and optimism. These are the stories that we’d like to leave you with over the summer. Stories of restoration, resistance, and hope.

Tōku tuakana hou: My new sister | E-Tangata “The arguments to exercise caution with DNA are valid, if a bit doom-laden. But there is another perspective that we need to consider, and that’s the power of DNA to reconnect those Māori who don’t kn...

“The arguments to exercise caution with DNA are valid, if a bit doom-laden. But there is another perspective that we need to consider, and that’s the power of DNA to reconnect those Māori who don’t know their whakapapa.” — Atakohu Middleton, who found her sister through DNA testing.

The meth crisis keeps me up at night | E-Tangata The Jevon McSkimming affair “is yet another distraction, a smokescreen, from some truly worrying developments at the other end of the criminal justice sector”. — Denis O’Reilly on the soaring prison m...

The Jevon McSkimming affair “is yet another distraction, a smokescreen, from some truly worrying developments at the other end of the criminal justice sector”. — Denis O’Reilly on the soaring prison muster (and its soaring costs), and the meth crisis.

Schools commit to Te Tiriti anyway | E-Tangata “The relationships that schools and kura have with Māori endures despite directives from the right-wing.” — Awanui Te Huia.

“The relationships that schools and kura have with Māori endures despite directives from the right-wing.” — Awanui Te Huia.

The other treaties of 1840 | E-Tangata “The treaties of the 1840s shared a common foundation. They were instruments of imperial domination, signed under pressure. The Treaty of Waitangi belongs in that company — yet where others withered, ...

“The treaties of the 1840s shared a common foundation. They were instruments of imperial domination, signed under pressure. The Treaty of Waitangi belongs in that company — yet where others withered, it lived on.” — Shane Te Pou.

Which mandate matters most? | E-Tangata “Māori institutions can’t rely on formal mandates alone. If we want legitimacy that endures, we need to design institutions that reflect our own power dynamics.” — Sacha McMeeking.

“Māori institutions can’t rely on formal mandates alone. If we want legitimacy that endures, we need to design institutions that reflect our own power dynamics.” — Sacha McMeeking.

The slow demolition of our democracy | E-Tangata “We have a government willing to reshape constitutional understandings without genuine consultation, careful process, or respect for long-standing norms.” — Mark Feary.

“We have a government willing to reshape constitutional understandings without genuine consultation, careful process, or respect for long-standing norms.” — Mark Feary.

Corina Grey: Health inequalities aren't inevitable | E-Tangata “You can't separate the conditions in which people live from their health. They're completely interwoven, and I absolutely feel a deep sense of responsibility and commitment to addressing those wider ...

“You can’t separate the conditions in which people live from their health. They’re completely interwoven, and I absolutely feel a deep sense of responsibility and commitment to addressing those wider determinants.” — Dr Corina Grey, Director of Public Health.

From the periphery into the centre | E-Tangata “I had naïvely assumed that as we marched towards social freedom and equity for all, the benefits of these social changes would be self-explanatory, and conservative resistance would dissipate and eve...

“I had naïvely assumed that as we marched towards social freedom and equity for all, the benefits of these social changes would be self-explanatory, and conservative resistance would dissipate and eventually disappear, like a kind of natural evolutionary extinction.” — Anton Blank.

Our legacy of peace | E-Tangata “As November 5, the anniversary of the invasion of Parihaka, reminds us, non-violent peaceful protest is rooted deep within this nation’s whakapapa.” — Alistair Reese.

“As November 5, the anniversary of the invasion of Parihaka, reminds us, non-violent peaceful protest is rooted deep within this nation’s whakapapa.” — Alistair Reese.

Towards He Whakaputanga | E-Tangata “What is clear from He Whakaputanga is that there was never a ceding of any kind of sovereignty to Britain. Not then, nor five years later, when Te Tiriti was signed at Waitangi.” — Catherine Delahunt...

“What is clear from He Whakaputanga is that there was never a ceding of any kind of sovereignty to Britain. Not then, nor five years later, when Te Tiriti was signed at Waitangi.” — Catherine Delahunty.