Post-Colonialism, a Matter of Perspective: Native Narratives in a Language of Violence and Pain

Post-colonialism, a Matter of Perspective: Native Narratives in a Language of Violence and Pain. A Recovery Journey. Gayle King-Tamehana 2010 Auckland University of Technology Faculty of Applied Humanities Dr Paul Mountford An exegesis submitted to Auckland University of Technology in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF CREATIVE WRITING TABLE OF CONTENTS PART ONE: ATTESTATION OF AUTHORSHIP 2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 3 ABSTRACT 4 EXEGESIS: 5 Post-colonialism, a Matter of Perspective: Native Narratives in a Language of Violence and Pain. A Recovery Journey. PART TWO: NOVEL ALISON TAKES THE TRAIN 20 REFERENCES 245 1 ATTESTATION OF AUTHORSHIP “I hereby declare that this submission is my work and that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, it contains no material previously published or written by another person (except where explicitly defined in the acknowledgements), nor material which to a substantial extent has been submitted for the award of any other degree or diploma of a university or other institution of higher learning.” 2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I acknowledge and thank those who gave me the support I required to complete this project. They are as follows: Waikato Raupatu Lands Trust, Waikato-Tainui Tribal Group for financial assistance by way of the Tumate Mahuta Memorial Scholarship. I have referred to the; Report of the Waitangi Tribunal on the Manukau claim (Wai 8). (2nd ed.). Wellington, NZ.: The Tribunal, 1989. 1v. (Waitangi Tribunal reports, 0113-4124) “July 1985.” For an historical account of the early settlers of the Manukau. I pay tribute to these people and their iwi. James George novelist, writer, tutor, mentor; for his guidance and support throughout the year and for helping me to discern good writing from better writing and the wisdom to know the difference. Patricia Grace novelist, writer for her interest and encouragement in the initial stages of the project. Kia ora koutou katoa. 3 ABSTRACT The aim of telling the story was to show that the aftermath of colonialisation is still manifest in this so called post-colonial era in Aotearoa from the perspective of Maori narrators. The novel is about inequality, powerlessness, oppression, prejudice, and the disproportionate distribution of resources. The stories are about the power relationships between, genders, cultures, ages and those who are mentally afflicted or anyone who is deemed to be different. The objectives are: to give some insight into what it is like to be different, initiate an awareness of the impact that cultural difference has in this country, to promote better understanding between Maori and Non-Maori, to generate self awareness through reflexive practices, to encourage the use of safe and effective coping methods during times of adversity, to emphasise the need for change, and a story that would instil hope. Alison Takes the Train is about what it means to be Maori in society, not because the characters are trying to live by or to sustain traditional Maori values for none of them are fluent in te reo; but by the mere fact that they are Maori and their Maoriness is inherent in the way they view the world. Through a language of violence and pain the narrators tell their stories. Keywords: Post-colonial, language, violence, inequality, powerlessness, oppression, prejudice. 4 EXEGESIS Post-colonialism, a Matter of Perspective: Native Narratives in a Language of Violence and Pain. A Recovery Journey Introduction This exegesis is a reflexive discourse that describes the creative performance undertaken to create the novel ‘Alison Takes the Train’ (ATT). The novel is about Maori people surviving violence: past and present. It is about cause, effect and coping. It is also a story of hope for a future without violence: without pain. To write about violence is an immersion in the most disturbing aspect of existence, pain and suffering; and for the writer requires answering the crucial challenge to confront that violence and struggle with the destructive impulse of human life (Heim, 1998). The story is told in a particular language that is a peculiarity produced by a transfused and assimilated form of Maori / English. It is a language of violence and pain. The linguistics of that language therefore derives from the vernacular of the characters in the novel. Throughout this paper, I address elements of my own whakapapa (genealogy). This required delving into the past; and an exploration of the present; in order to gain some comfort in a hopeful future for whanau (family), hapu (extended family) and iwi (Maori). I include reflection of aspects of the work in relation to critical theory, texts of creative fiction that influenced the work as well as; elements of fiction and the creative writing process; such as storytelling and techniques in writing practice, the art of writing and the tools of the craft. I discuss the text in relation to the books I grew up with. These books have influenced the way I think and have contributed to the way I have viewed the world. I also place the text within the context of the canon of literature by Maori about Maori, by writers from Aotearoa. Finally, I reflect upon the relevance of the work within the wider world and the degree to which it is informed by world events, politically, socially, spiritually and economically. ATT is a story about Maori, about our histories, about Aotearoa and about 5 the times we live in. In Aotearoa society, the term post colonial according to various indigenous perspectives surmises that colonisation is over and the colonisers have left (Pihama, 1997). ATT is a statement about Maori surviving the residual encumbrances of colonial rule. The overall aim of this exegesis therefore is to support the creative performance as research; and for the novel to be accepted as a thesis. The Research The performance was informed by the principles of qualitative research paradigm and used methods aligned with, case study research and grounded theory methodology, The qualitative research paradigm was the most appropriate design for this study as it is designed to help with understanding social phenomena through the exploration of attitudes, beliefs, meanings values and experiences of participants; and grounded theory methodology focuses on social processes and concentrates on the participants in human action and human action and interaction (Whitehead, 2007). Broadly stated this allows flexibility and freedom to explore the phenomenon in depth to provide clarity to the theory grounded in the data as it emerges inductively from the phenomenon (Streubert & Carpenter, 1999). Case study methodology is suited to conditions when the focus is on experiences of contemporary phenomena within real life contexts (Yin, 1994). Here, significance is in the processes that lead to the results rather than the significance of the results themselves (Gillham, 2000). ATT gathers the narratives of Maori. They define their experiences of living through their beliefs and how their beliefs influence their lives. The relevance this has to Maori agrees with the appropriateness of Maori researchers to carry out research on Maori to safeguard against the exploitation of Maori knowledge as well as ensuring greater accountability of researchers to those being researched (Bishop & Glynn, 1992; L. Smith, 1999). I have drawn on essentially westernised research design and methodologies to enhance and support Kaupapa Maori frameworks as a research paradigm which enable the use of particular theories that further the emancipation of the indigenous struggles and discard aspects that do not (Eketone, 2008). This is aimed 6 at generating solutions from a synergic merge of two cultures rather than a dominance of one over the other in order to create new knowledge that will benefit Maori (M. Durie, 2005). Background, aims and objectives. The socio-political background was the underpinning determinant for the motivation to write the novel. The Te PuniKokiri 1998 report ‘Progress towards closing the social and economic gaps between Maori and Non-Maori’, was intended to measure the degree of progress made towards the development of policy leading towards closing the social and economic disparities between Maori and Non-Maori. Socio-economic disadvantage is considered the most significant explanation for disparities but social disadvantage does not explain the differences. Statistical data available on the position that Maori occupy within New Zealand society show how Maori experience disparities across all social and economic sectors including education, employment, income, housing, criminal justice and health (Te Puni Kokiri, 2000). Reading the gravestones in the urupa (cemetery) in my papakainga (village) bears testimony to the statistics on health. The ages of my whanau range from new born to mid- fifties. One koro (grand-dad) was seventy three when he died; no one in the whanau is old enough to remember him. My maternal grand-father died in June 1963. I grew up hearing the story that my grand-mother died a month later of a broken heart. A search of family records tells that the cause of death was a heart attack. She was fifty two years old. My paternal grand-mother died from Tuberculosis when she was thirty five, she’d left eleven children behind. We don’t have much land left, but each year we move the fence-line at the urupa out so the whanau (family) can all fit when they come home to be buried. They all lay side by side; aunties and uncles, nieces and nephews, a sister, a brother and some cousins: whanau all whanau. The causes of death are not written on the stones, but they are known. Heart disease, renal failure, any one of the cancers, diabetes, liver disease and the list goes on. There are even a few suicides. But those are whispered about. Whispers also circulate about the ones who are having holidays in gaol, and about the ones who are in some psychiatric facility, or living on the streets, ‘Up Auckland or down Wellington.’ 7 Most of the whanau live in the towns in state houses and are on benefits or sell drugs; some have jobs, several left secondary school with a qualification, three have tertiary qualifications.

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