Haimoana Gray writes:
The worst racism I have seen and experienced in my life has come from people who have believed themselves to be well-intentioned. …
“I actually saw a pākehā lady turn around to a Māori guy behind her in the checkout line and apologise on behalf of the Government for what they were doing to Māoridom – and a Filipina grandma and a grizzled orange-clad tradie nodded in solemn agreement.”
This is a very brief anecdote, so in depth analysis of the context of this would lead to making implications that the writer didn’t intend, even if they are so offensively glaring that one need to be unfathomably naive to miss them.
There is a deep narcissism to this story – one in which a complete stranger bothers someone trying to shop, because of the colour of their skin, and assumes this person’s identity and views are exactly the same as they’ve decided every person with said skin tone are, they then proceed to rant at this stranger as if they are doing a great service.
It is stunningly patronising. Deciding on the basis of the skin colour of a stranger they they have political views that agree with you, are oppressed, and that you, a total stranger, apologising to them will help make their lives better.
This woman assumed this stranger’s whole life story based on the colour of his skin.
Most people would understand this as textbook racism, but the author doesn’t.
Stuff should be above publishing this, but they sadly aren’t.
The mindset behind this person’s outburst, that Maori have no agency, drags all Maori down because it doesn’t reflect our intelligence, diversity of thought, or our ability to speak and organise for ourselves.
Such great points.
The worst thing Pakeha have done to me personally is to consistently elevate voices like Verity Johnson’s above those of my fellow Maori even when talking about Maori.
Maoridom exists for our media commentariat as a form of cat to be saved from a tree by the Pakeha protagonists. For the purpose of making the protagonist look ‘good’.
Saviour complex.
The post Haimoana on white paternalism first appeared on Kiwiblog.
