“This is not us”: But actually it is.

“This is not us”: But actually, it is. Talking about when to raise the issue of colonisation. Waikaremoana Waitoki University of Waikato, Māori and Psychology Research Unit

This paper is a commentary on some of the responses to the public narrative of the events after the March 15th Christchurch attack. Several colleagues had publicly and privately, offered their views on the Government’s and media outlets use of terms such as ‘unprecedented’, ‘our loss of innocence’ and ‘our darkest day’. A fiery and empassioned exchange of words emerged on social media about the statement: ‘This is not us’. By exposing the counternarrative to these emotion laden terms, a shady past, and invisible present was revealed. However, the timing of the talk about colonisation also seemed out of step with the need for sensitivity. This paper also explores the role of White supremacy and causal racism in New Zealand. A personal I/we/us narrative style is used throughout the paper to describe how Muslim and Maori lives intersected prior to, and after the attack. The timeline of events is primarily 1 week, and up to 6 weeks post the attack.

March 15th culture that has othered them. The health system (Came, McCreanor, On the afternoon of the 15th March I portrayal of Muslim and Māori as savage, Manson, & Nuku, 2019). Or, will they was waiting at the Hamilton airport to misogynistic, undeserving, troublesome have to fight for every inch of their rights pick up my daughter and her family. and uncultured is a narrative we have because the society they live in tells them When I received an email from the lived with since colonisation stepped on to every-single-day, in some overt and University alerting staff to the shooting in our foreshore (McCreanor, 1997). The covert way, that they are not good Christchurch, I checked the new’s words Māori and Foreshore are now enough? I worry about them because we webpage and saw images of the synomous with extreme colonisation. So live in a country that Taika Waititi ambulance, and police situated at Dean’s the question of whether ‘this is not us’, or eloquently described as ‘Racist as f**k’. Ave. The tall trees of Hagley Park formed not, takes Māori to a place where they He was vilified, and some called to have a backdrop of serenity that was at odds have been before. his award ‘New Zealander of the Year’, with the chaos that had happened hours This commentary offers a lens on the taken from him. earlier; images of distraught people were social media conversations that occurred If we can be proud of Taika and his prominent. At the same time, the plane immediately after the attack in achievements, why do we recoil in disgust disembarked and my family came through Christchurch. What was readily apparent and anger when he tells us, and the world, the gate – shock on their faces. I felt a was that some were uncomfortable raising that we are not quite the race-relations terror creep up and be swallowed with the role of racism and colonisation, while haven we try to portray to the world, and relief as I saw that they were all safe. They others felt that white supremacy had to be to ourselves? Was there a collective were on one of the last planes to leave talked about because to do so is to call out introspection where the nation asked Christchurch that afternoon. the institutions and social groups that itself, ‘what does he mean?’ Why did our My grandson’s creche backs onto benefit the most from it. The need to be country have to hit rock bottom and lose Dean’s Ave, close to the Al Noor Mosque. sensitive and careful, were uppermost my 50 lives before we asked ourselves to look My daughter should have been at the mind, but so too was the need to consider inwards at the institutions that enabled creche that day but instead she travelled how marginalised peoples feel about racism to thrive? Alongside that with her family to attend the Annual racism. introspection, did we look at our own

Regatta in Ngāruawāhia, and my son-in- actions, or inactions that foster racism, not Being Brown, and Being the Other law’s kapa haka group was set to perform only towards Māori, but to anyone who How do Māori experiences have any for the Māori King and accompanying was not Christian and Caucasian? connection to the attack in Christchurch? visitors. My son-in-law was also The conversation I had with my daughter When is it ok to talk about scheduled to do a ‘mataora’, a facial what could have happened to her was colonisation? tattoo, or emblishment for a family friend. frightening because we do not really ever The Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, My daughter and I spoke about what feel safe in our own country. I have brown and others used terms like ‘our darkest might have happened had she or her siblings, brown children, and brown days’, ‘lost innocence’, and husband been driving or walking down nephews and neices. I worry about them: ‘unprecedented’ to describe reactions to Dean’s Ave that day. My son-in-law is will they get a job with their Māori names the Christchurch attack. At the same time, tall, brown and wears a long bushy beard. and Māori faces? Will they be given a my colleagues hit back on social media We have no doubts about what might have choice of homes they same way that saying that the attack was not happened had the shooter seen them, or Pākehā are give choices? Will their unprecedented, and that we were never their children. But more than this, our Māoriness be undervalued? Will they fall innocent. We argued that ‘this is not us’, children, like Muslim children, live in a through the causal racism gaps in our really meant, ‘actually, yes it is’. If it

New Zealand Journal of Psychology Vol. 48, No. 1 April 2019 140

“This is not us”: But actually it is.

wasn’t why did the New Zealand and white supremacy, which underpinned because we were not there to experience Settlement Act (1863) happen? ‘This is them, did not come about in a non- it. They further claimed that Māori not us’, yet the New Zealand Wars contextualised vacuum. Jackson also portray a one-sided, revisionist view of (1800s) happened. ‘This is not us’ and the argued that the colonisation of New history and colonisation, while ignoring Treaty of Waitangi became a legal nullity Zealand has a whakapapa – a geneology, the benefits of being colonised, and seek (1877). In 2004, Don Brash’s Orewa premised on brutality, Christianity, an to blame, and be angry at a specific ethnic Speech happened. So if this is not us, how enduring belief in racial superiority, and a group (the British) while conveniently did the rise of the alt-right happen? view of Māori as the noble savage overlooking the trauma at the hands of our Former Society Bicultural Director, Dr (McCreanor, 1997) who cannot attain own pre-European Māori. Rose Black commented that ‘We Pākehā high intellectual functions, and certainly What then about Muslim experiences of sit on the continuum from superiority to should not have resources that Pākehā trauma? It is convenient to say that trauma white supremacy, and we don’t even know could put to better use. does not pass down to future generations that we are’ (personal communication, It may seem strange to say this in a simply because we tell ourselves about it? 2019). learned journal, but I am reminded of the As we were not there (when the trauma My own view on the public times I watched Thomas the Tank Engine happened) how could we be traumatised? commentaries was that as tangihanga had with my son. Each time the character This statements show a disregard for not even started, now was not the time to Diesel appeared, (he was the black train) human experiences and overlooks the talk about colonisation. While Māori Middle Eastern music played. Diesel power of narrative history as a tool for funeral custom is to raise concerns as a always seemed to be dirty, oily and slick. healing, and for reconciliation. (see also, way of paying respect to the the deceased, He was also cast as arrogant, Pihama, Smith, Evans-Campbell, Kopu- and honouring their family, the funeral untrustworthy, and deceitful. That same Morgan, et al, (2017) for a nuanced had not yet happened. I made, what I language, with its racist connotations, is exploration of historical trauma). thought was a brave decision to challenge used to describe Māori and Muslim Many of us will have a future narrative my colleagues on social media – ‘Wait, I communities. about the Christchurch attack, and it is said. ‘Raise these issues later, at least important that it is one based on recovery until after the burials’. This is not to say Recognising our colonial history and learning. It is concerning that if we that I didn’t agree with them. Because I Within a day of the attack, and largely cannot accept that Māori have a collective did. prompted by the media headlines that it experience of colonisation and trauma, My colleagues disagreed with me. They was unprecedented - angry commentaries how are we going to manage what we hear were angry and they knew that everything spoke of the massacre at Rangiowhia in in the future? Anjun Rahman the leader of they had been saying about land 1864. These were conversations that felt the Islamic Women’s Council of New confiscation, decimation of Māori culture out of place. Some asked about the Zealand wrote: ‘How does a heart break? and language, enforced poverty, systemic relevance of bringing up an event where Does it shatter into a million pieces? Does racism and structural violence was colonial militia herded men, women and is split into two aching, throbbing halves? everyday, unacknowledged white children inside a church in Te Awamutu, Does it break with a low keening wail or supremacy in action. Our experiences which was then set alight? Did we also an earth-shattering scream of pain?’ Pain taught us that we live within concentric need to be reminded of how those who of this magnitude is always remembered. circles of racism, and a deeply held belief escaped were shot in the back as they tried in white supremacy as an ideology and to run away? My colleagues wanted it Racism and white supremacy practice. This is so deeply ingrained in the known that our people were murdered in Some of the difficult commentaries I history of New Zealand that we do not a Christian church because they had managed was from Māori who had recognise it, or want to know when we are resisted the advance of colonisation. learned to hate Muslims. It is the ‘some of called to account. In the Waikato in the 1860s, Māori my family and friends are racists’ story The point my colleagues were making is refusal to sell land, and the establishment that was touchy to navigate. Māori values that New Zealanders should know that of a King movement, provoked the of manaakitanga, and whanau were everyday acts of causal racism towards Colonial government in 1863 to demand clearly not extended to Muslims, and we Māori, Pacific, Asians and Muslims is that Māori pledge their allegiance to the had to call each other out on that. I was endemic and often silenced. Māori are not Crown, or face ejection from their land. particularly tired of seeing racist, strangers to terrorism, and the Without waiting for a reply, the Waikato Islamophobic comments from Māori who commentators wanted to make that fact was invaded a day later (O’Malley, 2016). live in Australia, as if they had never public. To do otherwise was to silence Some of us wanted to stay silent, to not known racism growing up in New those who had suffered, and exonerate compare disasters. I thought it was Zealand, or the racism towards those who were complicit in important to say ‘We cannot sympathise Indigenous Australians. institutionalised programmes of eugenics with someone who has lost family by Another narrative that we discussed was and classism. ripping open your own scar and saying, that Māori, and Muslims were under My colleagues also suggested that for ‘This happened to me too’. intense surveillence by State Services our country to heal, we needed to know while white supremacists were ignored. how this land was colonised, who paid the Essentially is it fair for Māori to claim Despite members of the Muslim price for it, and who continues to benefit. our own colonial trauma, while the communities having told police, the State Jackson, (2019) commented on the recovery response was still in progress? Service Commission, the Security importance of acknowledging the links Moon and Derby (2019) argued (in an Intelligence Service, Department of between the past and present as the unrelated article) that modern Māori Internal Affairs, Government Ministers massacres and the ideologies of racism cannot know what historical trauma is and the Human Rights Commission about

New Zealand Journal of Psychology Vol. 48, No. 1 April 2019 141

“This is not us”: But actually it is.

the death threats they had received from narrative fragment: a phrase or brief matter of time – we all knew that. Soon the alt-right they did not feel heard, or sentence cueing a well-known story, we after March 15th, Nasr wrote about her protected (Rahman, 2019). Was it too fill in the rest of the story. By describing experiences as a Muslim in New Zealand. unbelievable and unpalatable to scrutinise the killer as blonde, blue-eyed and angelic White supremacists as potential terrorists? we maintain a view, depending on our life But, the culmination of my lived Is it white imagination to say that only experiences, that white culture is normal, experiences, and many others which I certain people can commit acts of terror, natural, ordinary and the standard against can’t bring myself to repeat, rests while white people do not? which everyone else is measured. under the surface of my discomfort Despite the high rates of gun violence in I wondered, did the child-angel fall off with the ‘They Are Us’ solidarity the United States committed by White the heavenly perch destined for him as a statements. Americans, they are not collectively held white Australian? Does the narrative of to account like Muslims are. White white supremacy also guarantee entry into It feels like negation, not just of my shooters are described as loners (or a lone the celestial kingdom for Christians in the own lived experiences, but also of our wolf), someone not part of an organised same way the Crusades promised the own history as a nation. Because, unit, or group. But are they really alone? spoils of the Holy Land? Does having to while Friday was a dark day, maybe In relegating the ‘lone wolf’ to the write about the not-so-good-white-person one of the darkest, Aotearoa’s settler- position of an unhinged outsider, we are leave editors a little out of their depth? colonial history is a long white- not exposed to the white supremacists’ Jacinda Ardern told the nation: supremacist storybook. I will not collective belief in their right to eliminate pretend it is new, that it is anyone they see as a threat to their self- For those of you who are watching exceptional, that I didn’t see it idealised supremacy (Jackson, 2019). at home tonight and questioning how coming. I did, and you should have This tricky side-step also enables the this could have happened here, we, too (Nasr, 2019). ‘this is not us’ narrative to float, because New Zealand … We were not chosen Nasr’s commentary is a painful that type of person seems too far down the for this act of violence because we narrative of discrimination and abuse that other end of the white supremacist condone racism, because we’re an has been told to us many, many times. If continuum. Māori commentators on the enclave for extremism, we were indeed ‘this is not us’ is actually true how other hand did not see the difference chosen for the very fact that we are do we reconcile hearing about the abuse between white supremacy that kills none of these things, because we of Muslim communities, and doing little quickly, and white supremacy that is represent diversity, kindness, to change it? insidious and kills slowly (Kanji & compassion, a home for those that Palumbo-Liu, 2019). The removal of share our values, a refuge for those The role of psychology in assisting Māori children by Oranga Tamariki, the who need it. And those values, I can with recovery abuse of children and youth in state care, assure you, will not and cannot be Within days of the attack, the New and in faith-based institutions, and Māori shaken by this attack. Zealand Psychological Society set about experiences of mental health services Sahar Khumkhor, a reporter for Al preparing a co-ordinated recovery (Russell, Levy & Cherrington, 2018) are response. Having had some experience just a few examples. Jazeera said that the ‘This is not us’ statement merely showed a ‘comforting following the Christchurch earthquake, The language used to other Muslim we were keen to assist when needed. We experiences was perhaps most telling in conviction’ that extremism and violence are features of backward societies, and not updated our webpage, sought relevant the way that the shooter’s background was material for those affected, either directly portrayed in the media. Without a doubt, products of western cultures. She went on to say that racism still determines who the or indirectly, and established points of had the shooter been Muslim, or Māori, contact in Christchurch, and throughout the entire ethnic group and culture would ‘we, and they’ are of the world and that ‘this is not us’, ‘… seek[s] to absolve and the branches. I became accutely aware have been vilified and portrayed as that despite the large amount of resources barbaric, with a primitive nature. reject responsibility and shame, and replace them with fragile innocence and we had on trauma, we had nothing written However, there is a propensity to assuage specifically for Muslim communities. The potential white fragility by portraying even pride’. The concerns were that by calling the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of white killers as inherently good – and that Educaton were in the same situation. This they have somehow gone bad. Australian attack unprecedented, or claiming that our innocence is lost, we overlooked the was a major concern, particulary as there and British newspapers showes a photo of were 40 different ethnic groups affected a blonde, blue-eyed boy, with his father – systems that allowed it to happen. Narrative fragments for marginalised by the attack. None of the resources the headline read ‘Angelic boy who grew available talked about how to deal with into an evil far-right mass killer’. The peoples highlight racialised concerns and experiences: The Black Lives Matter race-based trauma, or how to work with killer was also described as “a likeable Muslim children, or distressed Muslim and dedicated personal trainer running movement, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Black Deaths in youth. Particular information was also free athletic programmes for kids". Other needed for Muslim women who were now terms used were ‘ordinary, white-man, of Custody, Pipeline to Prison, At-Risk- Māori and Islamophobia are all examples widowed, and in the process of iddah; and Australian, Irish, Scottish and British for Muslim elderly men and women – and descent’ and a working class mad-man’. of inequities that are unattended to. It has become normal to hear about these importantly, the resources did not offer support to maintain spiritual faith, The descriptions used above are narratives, to experience them, to dispair over them, and to have them etched in our particularly after the loss of an Imam, and examples of what Ray Nairn (2019) calls the insidious nature of Islamophobia. narrative fragments. When we hear a future-past. But let us be clear, what happened in Christchurch, was only a

New Zealand Journal of Psychology Vol. 48, No. 1 April 2019 142

“This is not us”: But actually it is.

The Charity Hospital in Christchurch leader Brian Tamaki condemned Jacinda Board to deal with traumatic incidents. At had, quite early, started a counselling Arden, and warned, as did many others, a time like this, the divisions between our roster for people affected by the shooting, that New Zealand would be converted to professional bodies were a limitation that and the Ministry of Health set up a Islam if we allowed the call to prayer to needed addressing. Also, co-ordination telephone counselling line. We reached happen. This is again where the history of with training programmes and Branches out to our colleagues around the country colonisation and cultural amnesia and Insititutes is needed to inform the to ask to support the telephone lines, the intersect. Māori have already had a Society about the psychology workforce, Employee Assistance Programme, Victim religious take-over and the subsequent and their particular skillset. The Support, schools, tertiary institutions, banning of our religious dieities (See the Psychologists Board does not collect data corrections facilities, and hospitals. In Tohunga Suppression Act, 1907). So the on religious affiliations, and this is Christchurch, a Hub was established thought of another religious take-over perhaps a limitation. where Muslims could access various does not scare some of us as it does for During this time, I thought about how to agencies (ACC, Immigration) and to be others. At the funeral service, Imam connect with Muslim psychologists. I also together to meet and talk. Our colleagues Gamal Fouda called the Government to thought that perhaps the difficulties Māori were working double shifts in end hate speech, and the politics of fear: experience in psychology with limited Christchurch where they could. We knew cultural content specific to our that Christchurch was experiencing an Islamophobia is real. It is a worldviews also occurred for Muslim influx of help and that we needed to be targeted campaign to influence students. Do Muslim students face a careful of not getting in the way. people to dehumanise and Western worldview of psychology, Resources were also developed to support irrationally fear muslims. To fear devoid of any knowledge of the history of those working beyond their usual what we wear, to fear the choice of Islam’s contribution to psychology, or capacity. I raised a query about the food we eat, to fear the way we pray Islamic healing theories and methods? monocultural nature of the notion of ‘self- and to fear the way we practice our Could a Muslim student say that their care’. ‘Self’ from a collective worldview, faith. We call upon governments training prepared them to work within an is relational and includes care for around the world including New Islamic perspective? Or do they, like community and family/whanau. The Zealand and the neighbouring Māori, Pacific, Asian, African students, resources on self-care had to be rewritten countries to bring an end to hate have to learn the cultural perspectives to show a relational approach to speech and the politics of fear. Imam post-training? wellbeing. Fouda also showed the world the As western psychology in New Zealand By the end of the week of the 22nd of beauty of faith as a pillar of healing: is typically taught from a White March, after a prolonged wait, the ‘We are broken-hearted but we are American, European, or British deceased were returned to their families not broken. We are alive. We are perspective, the history of psychology’s and burials were planned. Jacinda Arden together. We are determined to not let role in colonisation is rendered invisible. did a fantastic job supporting the Muslim anyone divide us’. Fouda, (2019). Some exceptions are the APS apology to community, and the country through the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander aftermath of the attack. She become the The Psychological Society continued to People in 2016 for their role in the erosion topic of international interest and was work to co-ordinate a recovery response of Aborginal culture (APS, 2016). Would praised for her kindness, and how she had that was layered and reflective of the Muslim students be taught that the gold moved swiftly to indicate that the gun- Muslim community and their needs. standard of psychology, the American laws needed to change, and a review of the There were multiple requests for Muslim Psychological Association (APA) state survellience agency was going to psychologists, counsellors, social workers colluded with the Department of Defence happen. Over that time, Jacinda Ardern, and those able to work with Muslim to permit the torture of Muslim prisoners politician, and breastfeeding mother communities. At this point the in their detention centers (i.e., (because this job is important), supported professional bodies needed to work Guantanamo Bay) (Hoffman Report, the country through one of its darkest together as we did not know who were 2015). Or that the APA changed their hours. It must also be said that Jacinda practicing Muslim psychologists. The code of ethics from ‘to do no harm’ to Arden received abuse across a number of resources from Psychological Societies allow psychologists to participate in the platforms for showing solidarity with the around the world were sent with messages development of torture programmes? Are Muslim faith. of support, and resources written in Urdu, Muslim students taught that in 2015, In talking about the ‘this is not us’, Arabic, Somali, Iranian, Indonesia, and members of the American Middle statement, it is also really important to talk other languages. The Society’s Eastern/North African (MENA) about the best parts of society that work connections to the Asia Pacific Psychological Network (2015) wrote an hard to show their aroha (compassion and Psychological Association meant that we open letter to the Board of the APA and love) for others. Perhaps the most public could ask colleagues internationally for the psychological community to raise reminder of how compassionate New advice. concerns that psychology was mirroring Zealand can be was the willingness to The Australian Psychological Society what was happening across the United connect, and to have a public Muslim (APS) also provided extremely valuable States. The writers claimed that Muslims funeral, and prayer service on Friday 22nd support, and information, including a and refugees experienced diminishing March. A Muslim call to prayer was to be paper on how to create stronger civil liberties, human rights abuses, broadcasted around the country, and an communities to prevent racialised discrimination, threatened and actual Imam would led the service. violence (APS, 2019). There may have violence, and racial profiling since 9/11. The public backlash by some was fairly been an email overload for some – but, as The MENA group also felt that the APA swift and predictable. Destiny’s Church it turns out, there is no co-ordinated plan had aligned itself indirectly ‘with voices between the Society, the College and the

New Zealand Journal of Psychology Vol. 48, No. 1 April 2019 143

“This is not us”: But actually it is.

legitimizing state sponsored violence and represented, every other also fought in the War, what does that say oppression against marginalized groups sociodemographic group is notably under about our nation? It that really us? in nations around the world. represented (Scarf, Waitoki, Macfarlane, Recommendations to the APA was to Bennett, et al., 2019). As we move Mataora and kapa haka: Facial increase the visibility of Muslim towards a recovery approach in adornment and performing arts psychologists in the APA, and to promote psychology, we need to understand the In the opening I said that my family left the relevance and trustworthiness of sociodemographic needs of the workforce Christchurch to perform for the Māori psychology for Muslim communities. and our communities. king in Ngāruawāhia at the annual regatta, Recently, Awad (et al, 2019) argued that At this point in time, and even over the and for my son-in-law to inscribe a facial MENA group members continue to next few years, can we realistically tattoo (mataora) for a 60 year old Māori experience macro and micro level prepare for the actual diversity in our male. Māori came so periously close to pressures such as: historical trauma, country without first focussing on losing their skill and knowledge of hypervisibility and invisibility, societal ideologies of racism that exist in the performing arts, boat racing, and tattoo and institutional discrimination, doctrines and practices of white (tāmoko) and to be able to practice Māori interpersonal and macroaggressions, supremacy? And even when the focus, or cultural practices after 175 years of hostile national context and invasive gaze is turned to the more extreme colonisation is a testimony to our ability surveillance. The context is the same for examples of racism, the everyday to survive, and to be inclusive. My family Muslims in New Zealand. Psychological practices of racism, particularly at would have been in Christchurch that day training, research, teaching and structural levels, are usually ignored by but they came home to participate in professional development will now need the dominant group to which most Māori activities that the majority of New to consider a recovery response that is psychologists belong. Zealand know nothing about. truly reflective of the Muslim community. One other event happened in April that Finally, among the many comments and A starting place is to identify gaps in warrants mentioning. A decision by the opinions, Anjun Rahman’s comment knowledge, and to uncover the continuum Titahi Bay Returned Services Association stood out as gracious and welcoming. She of white supremacy and how it plays out (RSA) to have a Muslim prayer at their said that the Indigenous peoples needed to in the room. Speaking of which, it might dawn ceremony commemoration of be treated with dignity and respect. Here pay to look around the room and see ANZAC was met with a major public was a community that had been brutally which culture is reflected, and which backlash, and death threats were made. treated, and continue to be, the world culture has the most power. Social media could barely contain itself as over, and they were asking the How relevant is a Māori lens on cultural amnesia played a familiar tune of Government to respect the Treaty of psychology for Muslims? Marama how Australians and New Zealanders Waitangi. I hear solidarity and I hear Davidson, co-leader of the Green Party sacrificed their lives for our Christian pathways for moving forward together. commented to the media, and on twitter, freedom and our national identity. Where to from here? that her conversations with the victims of Muslims also fought in the World Wars Using a narrative timeline I have the attack showed their preference for for the British Empire, yet there is seldom described some of the main discourses therapy that was informed by kaupapa any mention of their contributions. The that prevailed over social media, and the Māori models. In other reports, some cultural amnesia also meant that few online newspapers since March 15th. Muslim youth said that they mistrusted people knew that every year, in Gallipoli, There were many others, Senator Anning the mental health service as they had been Australians and New Zealanders have a and Egg-boy, protests about there being discriminated against in the past. In my special momument and space for them to too many memorial services, and Brian conversations, I was told that the whare remember the fallen. Tamaki and the Destiny Church standing tapa wha model by Mason Durie is On the memorial wall at Gallipoli there for Christianity outside the Al-Noor consistent with a Muslim worldview (Dr. is an inscription of a quote from Mustafa mosque. My purpose is to show the Shaystah Dean, personal Kemal Atatürk, the first leader of the difficult conversations that happened communication). Māori models are no Republic of Turkey: since March 15th because our histories are doubt useful to begin with. However, a ignored, and because White supremacy Those heroes who shed their blood specific psychological perspective drawn always appears to get a free pass in life. and lost their lives! You are now lying from Islamic teachings is more likely to As long as the lives of marginalised in the soil of a friendly country. benefit Muslim communities and will peoples intersect we can be united in our Therefore rest in peace. There is no enable the profession to expand. approach to challenging injustice to create difference between the Johnnies and Our ability to be inclusive turns the a flourishing future. Mehmets to us where they lie side by phrase ‘this is not us’, into ‘but it could Rather than leave this paper with a side here in this country of ours. You, be’ if we support our colleagues who hopeful comment and wish for change, I the mothers, who sent their sons from continously strive for diversity across our realised that such sentiments haven’t far away countries wipe away your institutions, and broader society. We need really worked that well. Goals going tears; your sons are now lying in our to challenge the epistemological forward could instead focus on: bosom and are in peace. After having monoculture in psychology training to 1. Connect with Muslim psychologists: lost their lives on this land they have produce culturally-inclusive, culturally- (but don’t be a burden) offer support, become our sons as well. informed psychologist. A recent analysis based on their right to self- Atatürk, 1934 of clinical psychology programme determination, to identify a layered enrolments for the period 1994 to 2017 If we cannot tolerate prayers to honour approach to healing from the attack. show that with the exception of European 2. Prepare for the future: Develop a co- females, who are substantially over those who suffered in Christchurch, and to honour the ethnic diversity of those who ordinated plan with professional

New Zealand Journal of Psychology Vol. 48, No. 1 April 2019 144

“This is not us”: But actually it is.

organisations, Crown agencies, 10. Work with our communities as often n/hypocrisy-zealand-claim- community groups and NGOs to as possible: Being prepared means 190319104526942.html respond in a culturally appropriate, that we have already established our McCreanor. T. (1997). When racism and timely manner to adverse, and connections, and we maintain them – stepped ashore: Antecedents of anti- traumatic events. usually with food and sharing Māori discourse in Aotearoa. New 3. Look around the room: Increase the resources. Zealand Journal of Psychology, 26(1)36- number of culturally, and ethnically 44. diverse psychologist and academic References: Moon, P., & Derby, M. (2019). ‘They bleed from long-healed scars’: A Nietzschean staff. Use an equity-based approach. Australian Psychological Society (2016). psychological perspective on the Māori make up 15% of the population, The APS Apology to Aboriginal and literature of inherited colonial trauma in Torres Strait Islander people. Muslims 1%, Pacific 7.4% and so on. New Zealand. Te Kaharoa, 12, pp. 1-34. https://www.psychology.org.au/About- However, the level of need in these Nairn, R. (2019). The Pākehā Nation is Us/who-we-are/reconciliation-and-the- communities outweigh simple cocooned in colonising talk. Joan Cook APS/APS-apology numbers. For example, if Māori are Memorial State of the Pākehā Nation Australian Psychological Society (2018). over 50% of the mental health Essay. Creating stronger communities. Insights population, Māori should make up https://trc.org.nz/sites/trc.org.nz/files/Stat from psychological sciences. 50% of the psychology workforce. e-of-the-nation-2019.pdf https://www.psychology.org.au/getmedia/ 4. Change the way psychology is taught: Nasr, H (2019, 24 March). Islamophobia: A c820d374-1969-4b39-bcb5- Psychology programmes need to Personal Reflection. Accessed 25th cb850d4b3f1e/Creating_stronger_commu March, 2019). https://www.pantograph- embed content in their coursework nities.pdf punch.com/post/islamaphobia-a-personal- that reflects the sociodemographics of Awad, G. H., Kia-Keating, M., & Amer, M. reflection New Zealand. Why wait for a disaster M. (2019). A model of cumulative racial– O’Malley, V. (2016). The Great War for to happen? Be proactive, and ethically ethnic trauma among Americans of New Zealand Waikato 1800–2000. responsive. Middle Eastern and North African Bridget Williams Books, Wellington. 5. Learn a language: Expand our (MENA) descent. American New Zealand. exposure and knowledge of diverse Psychologist, 74(1), 76-87. Pihama, L., Smith, L. T., Evans-Campbell, cultures and their cultural practices. Came, H., McCreanor, T., Manson, L., & T., Kopu-Morgan, H., Cameron, N., …, Keep it local – there are close to 40 Nuku, K. (2019). Upholding Te Tiriti, Southey, K. (2017). Investigating Māori ending institutional racism and Crown different Pacific nations in New approaches to trauma informed care. inaction on health equity. New Zealand Zealand. How many do we know Journal of Indigenous Wellbeing. 2(3), Medical Journal. 132, 1492 about? pp. 1-14. Fouda, G. (2019, March 26). Funeral 6. Do something about racism in Rahman, A. (2019, 17th March). Islamic service address. Christchurch, New psychology: In my experience, racism Women's Council repeatedly lobbied to Zealand. in psychology bubbles away in the stem discrimination. Accessed 17th https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/ form of epistemic elitism, a fear of March. mar/22/broken-hearted-but-not-broken- change, and reluctance to accept https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/on-the- al-noor-imams-christchurch-speech-in- culturally diverse worldviews. Racism inside/384911/islamic-women-s-council- full repeatedly-lobbied-to-stem- is not immutable. But things are still Jackson, M. (2019, March 24). The discrimination changing too slowly. Learning about connection between white supremacy and Russell, L., Levy, M. & Cherrington, L. another culture requires us to accept colonisation. E-Tāngata. Accessed, 24th (2018, 13 December). He our limitations, and lack of March. https://e-tangata.co.nz/comment- Whakamanawa: Honouring the voices knowledge. Be comfortable with and-analysis/the-connection-between- and stories of Māori who submitted to the discomfort. white-supremacy/ 2018 Government Inquiry into Mental 7. Do something about racism in Hoffman, D. (2015). Report to the special Health and Addiction in Aotearoa. everyday workplaces: We know the committee of the board of directors of the Unpublished report. New Zealand. statistics about the social determinants American Psychological Association Scarf, D., Waitoki, W., Macfarlane, S., … independent review relating to the APA of health and wellbeing need & Abbott, M., (2019). Sociodemographic ethics guidelines, national security changing. Demand better services for diversity within clinical psychology interrogations, and torture. Accessed 29th clients, and better access to training programmes across April, 2019. psychologists. Aotearoa. (in press) New Zealand https://www.apa.org/independent- 8. Be the one to advocate for change: Medical Journal. review/revised-report.pdf Ask for more culturally diverse MENA (2015). Open letter to the American Kanji, A., & Palumbo-Liu, (2019, April learning opportunities and don’t take Psychological Association & the 6th). Settler colonialism lurked behind no for an answer (discrimination may psychological community by the the Christchurch massacre. Accessed 29th occur however when we are the American Middle Eastern/North African April, 2019. (MENA) Psychological Network. August squeaky wheel). https://truthout.org/articles/settler- 14. https://www.apa.org/independent- 9. Grow the psychology workforce to be colonialism-lurked-beneath-the- review/open-letter-mena.pdf ethically and skillfully prepared to christchurch-massacre/ https://www.meandwhitesupremacybook.co work with culturally diverse peoples. Khumkor, S. (2019). The hypocrisy of New m/book/ Inclusivity requires a shift in power – Zealand's 'this is not us' claim: Is Brenton pass opportunities to those who can’t Tarrant really an aberration? rely on white privilege to succeed. https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinio

New Zealand Journal of Psychology Vol. 48, No. 1 April 2019 145