Welcome back to the occasional Heather Came & Associates Pursing Racial Justice Newsletter #2 - Winter 2024 - |
|
|
Heather Came & Associates is a bicultural consultancy specialising in racial justice established in 2023. We provide training, research, peer review, mentoring, strategic planning, facilitation around Te Tiriti application and antiracism. |
|
|
It has been getting chilly in Te Whanganui-a-Tara at all sorts of levels. Heather Came & Associates are pleased to be doing constructive positive work supporting organisations and kaimahi in their Tiriti and racial justice journeys. We are currently working with several Crown agencies, a regulatory body, a union and within the tertiary education sector on a range of projects from developing ethical guidelines, Tiriti (and racial justice) organisational and policy frameworks, a systems change antiracism project, doing Tiriti audits and being a critical friend alongside our regular training workshops. Heather was pleased to have an outing to the gorgeous Te Rau Karamu Marae at Massey University to deliver a guest lecture on Te Tiriti o Waitangi to post graduate public health students. She also did a virtual public lecture at Menzies School of Health Research in Australia on institutional racism and popped into a Wellington MindMeet for psychologists. It is heartening to see the levels of interest in Tiriti and racial justice, but our team certainly appreciated the opportunity to take a breath and celebrate Matariki with whānau and friends. |
|
|
Culturally safe nursing staffing ratio justice project One of the privileges of being an activist scholar is getting to help organisations advance their advocacy goals. I was pleased to recently tautoko some research for Te Rūnanga o Aotearoa NZNO entitled - Rongomaiwhiti - with Māori nursing leaders around developing culturally safe staffing ratios. It seems nowhere in the world have legislated staffing ratios considered culture. Inspired by the work of Irihapeti Ramsden the study recommended Māori nurses lead this mahi, kaumātua and kuia need to be involved to ensure tikanga is upheld. Whānau and hapū need to define what is culturally safe practice. We need more Māori nurses, and all nurses need to have base-line cultural and political competences. Decision making about staffing levels needs to be based on consideration of both clinical and cultural factors. A recent Ministry of Health commissioned report (2022) found the existing Care Capacity Demand Management programme – that manages staffing ratios within Te Whatu Ora - does not recognise Te Tiriti responsibilities towards Māori in its design, implementation or outcomes. See full article in Kaitiaki by Mary Longman |
|
|
New writing Teaching practice from dazzling white to deliberately decolonised It is a rare treat when you are an activist scholar to carve out time to publish work with friends. This paper published in Whiteness and Education - was a labour of love with Vicki Kerrigan from Australia, Kem Gambrell from USA and locals Trevor Simpson and Moahuia Goza. Inspired by the teaching of a former colleague this paper proposes a spiral (see hue ipu whenua below) of teaching practice capturing dazzling white, off-white aspirations, culturally safe, intentionally anti-racist, and deliberately decolonised practices. We drew on our lived experiences of teaching and learning and relevant literature to illustrate what one might see, hear and feel in each type of classroom. Lots of fodder for reflecting on one’s teaching practice and a compelling case for Indigenous-led universities. Download this open access paper here For those of you wanting to have a discussion about this new paper, or indeed potentially meet some of the authors, join He Hōmiromiro - a decolonisation reading group. Unravelling colonial education: from Dazzling White to Deliberately Decolonised and supporting the case for Indigenous universities
Next group: 1pm (NZST), 16th August 2024 - Please click here for the link to the discussion |
|
|
Hue ipu whenua. Photo & design: Trevor Simpson |
|
|
Becoming Tāngata Tiriti Call me old-fashioned, but there is something special about a physical book in your hand with pages that turn and have that distinctive new book smell. Dr Averil Bell is a Pākehā sociologist who has built her academic career around exploring Pākehā identity, the legacy of colonisation, cross-cultural relationships and the role of Tāngata Tiriti as allies. Her new book - due to launch in early August showcases twelve Tāngata Tiriti including our own Heather Came. Bell expertly explores what it means to be a good ally to Māori in contemporary times. To call it a ‘how-to manual’ would be too reductive but it does offer a pragmatic set of tools for those willing to do the work… the book offers an invitation to Pākehā and, in fact, all non-Māori to be part of the conversation around what makes us New Zealanders – and how we might move forward in ways that are just and that enhance the mana of Māori and non-Māori alike.’ — Rebecca Kiddle, Ngāti Porou, Ngāpuhi, Te Wānanga o Aotearoa Order your copy here: Becoming Tāngata Tiriti: Working with Māori, Honouring the Treaty |
|
|
Meeting Dame Claudia Orange Sometimes in the middle of winter you just have to wrap up warm, grab your knitting and actually leave the house. Denis and I were recently lucky enough to recently hear Dame Claudia Orange speak at the National Library. Once we navigated the strict security measures, it was a stellar talk which filled in some of her backstory – her dad spoke te reo and worked for Te Puni Kōkiri. Her kōrero was filled with interesting side-stories including the story of lashings of Pākehā settlers in Tāmaki back in the day who organised a petition to advocate for the retention of Te Tiriti when it was under threat. It was special to meet someone who has been so important in terms of helping Pākehā understand our colonial history. I was ruthless in cornering her post-speech and got my full collection of her books signed. I love that she was wearing her signature orange outfit. Her PhD which became the classic1987 text The Treaty of Waitangi is still in-print for those keen for a romp through history. |
|
|
Learning from Prof Elisa Loncón Denis and I ventured out again last week to a public lecture at Te Herenga Waka with Professor Elisa Loncón from the University of Santiago in Chile. I have been challenged lately to think more about the global south and the voices of activist scholars from Africa, Asian and Central and South America. Anyone that has read my writing knows that my scholarship is very local. Elisa is a Mapuche linguist and Indigenous rights activist. In 2021 she was elected President for the Chilean Constitutional Convention and led the development of a visionary, inclusive emancipatory constitution that recognised the rights of all the citizens of Chile and nature herself. Her constitution was rejected by referendum as Chile turned to the conservative right, but it remains an important people-powered vision of an alternative to capitalism and growth. Go that good woman. |
|
|
STIR petition to parliament Over recent months STIR: Stop Institutional Racism has collected over 18,000 signatures in tautoko of Te Aka Whai Ora. The destablishment has now occurred but an urgent hearing remains before the Waitangi Tribunal – booked for early August - as decisions are still to be made around what will replace Te Aka Whai Ora and we are presenting our petition at parliament on Tuesday 20th August. STIR welcomes your solidarity and attendance on the day. For more information contact stirantiracism@gmail.com Note you can still sign the petition here. |
|
|
Flurry of Heather Came & Associates Outreach trainings We have been doing some planning at HC&A headquarters and have pulled together a range of training options for Auckland and Wellington peeps and on-line folks. To book any of these workshop please contact joyaratima@gmail.com or use the fancy QR code. More information and the full fliers are on our website under public workshops. Apologies but I suspect we all knew this newsletter was an infomercial delivery device. |
|
|
Public Health Association Radical Quiz Fundraiser Who doesn’t love a good radical fundraising quiz? Heather is a long-time member of the NZ Public Health Association and is supporting the local branch with Fran Kewene in a class kiwi quiz fundraiser. It is sure to be competitive, possibly educational and an opportunity to make some new connections with public health peeps – come join us. **A hint for any HC & A newsletter readers there is bound to be a Toitu Te Tiriti round… Email jude.ball@otago.ac.nz with any queries |
|
|
Radical Kitchen Crew One of Heather’s new side hustles is the Radical Kitchen Crew. It is a nationwide network of people that recognise the importance of comfort food (baking, soup and the like) in times of trouble. We recognise the importance of solidarity and guerilla acts of kindness. Morale is always important. Scan the QR code to join our nationwide network, become a regional coordinator and/or just occasionally bake up a storm when we are doing a solidarity action. Union organisers are likely to be our next guerilla target. |
|
|
Speaking of comfort food...here is one of Heather’s fav recipes: |
|
|
Moroccan Couscous Salad 2 cups couscous 3 oranges 1 chopped spring onion ½ cup cranberries ¼ cup dried apricots 1 tsp cumin seeds ¾ cup cooked chickpeas ½ cup toasted pine nuts (or similar) 1 sliced capsicum ¼ cup toasted sesame seeds ½ cup chopped sundried tomatoes Salt & pepper Chopped Mint leaves ¾ cup chopped Italian parsley ½ cup olives ½ cup toasted almonds ____________________ ¼ cup olive oil ¼ cup orange juice Salt 3 Tsp harissa paste ½ tsp ground ginger Zest 3 lemons 1: Cook the couscous, (add 2 cups of boiling salted water and cover with cling film to create steam) 2: Stand ten minutes and fluff with a fork 3: Zest oranges, then peel and cut into cubes 4: Add the remaining ingredients to the couscous 5: Pour over the dressing (combined in jar) 6: Toast the almonds and sprinkle on top |
|
|
Congratulations on reading this far. Click 'Contact Joy' button below to unsubscribe to avoid further occasional newsletters. Feel free to share with a friend or colleague. |
|
|
|
|