Fridays For Future Aotearoa, Te Upoko Te Ika (Wellington, New Zealand)

This is an Action Station campaign.

Rotokakahi is a privately owned lake, belonging to the Tūhourangi and Ngāti Tūmatāwera tribes. Within the lake lies Motutawa, the sacred resting place of many tūpuna, including Hinemoa. Although once open to the public, the increasing desecration of Motutawa led to the placing of a rāhui (restriction) in 1948, and the lake was later declared private. 

The land surrounding this lake encompasses various sites of significance to our iwi and hapū, including Pā Whero, a wāhi tapu (sacred site) that was buried under the ashes of the Tarawera Eruption of 1886 and urupā (cemeteries) which are integral to the our iwi’s ancestral heritage. 

The Rotorua Lakes Council (RLC) has proposed a sewerage pipeline scheme to connect the residents of Tarawera to the main wastewater treatment plant in Ngāpuna.

The proposed pipeline route would run along the Tarawera Road corridor passing over Te Wairoa awa, through wāhi tapu Pā Whero, and continuing past Rotokakahi. All of these areas hold significant cultural and historical importance for mana whenua. 

Members of the mana whenua have been occupying the area in protest.

Your support could help them to:

• Cover legal fees for whānau who will be going through court, for those facing charges and those who will be working through the environmental courts process
• Provide kai, resource and respite to those on the front line 
• Help them to bring others into the occupation so that if there is another escalation, there is more support on the ground 

Donate now: https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/protect-rotokakahi-1

In the 26 January edition of the radio show Climate Crisis Action Aotearoa Gerda Leenards tells us about about her art show, The story of a Lake, at Mahara Gallery.

LIsten to the interview.

It tells a story about the water pollution in Lake Horewhenua affecting the wellbeing of the local iwi Muaupoko.

You can also find out about Mike Joy’s talk at Mahara Gallery, on Sunday 9 Feb  2 -3 pm. He will discuss  the environmental and health impacts of the pollution of Lake Horowhenua and how this has impacted the local iwi Muaupoko.

Happy new year!

Just to let you know that as of Tuesday 14 January, Fridays for Future Te Upoko o Te Ika is back on the job.

As this coalition government continues to wind back protections for our environment and our climate goals, it is more important than ever to be in their faces to remind them they are on the wrong track.

Every Tuesday 12.30-1.30 – come join us or just stop by for a chat or a selfie!

Our last protest for the year is Tuesday 17 December. We’ll celebrate our efforts thus far with choccy cake and non-alcoholic (probably) beverages.

Come join us!

A recent highlight was Caz and Mary going viral on Tik Tok while interview-bombing Seymour Know Less on 1News. Below is an example of the feedback on them –

Earlier this month, the New Zealand Navy ship HMNZS Manawanui ran aground, caught fire and sank off the south coast of Upolu in Sāmoa while conducting a reef survey. The ship is leaking oil from at least four locations, and authorities in Sāmoa say 200,000 litres of diesel has leaked from the HMNZS Manawanui since it sank on a reef last week. 

First of all, they refused to accept the ship was not leaking oil, but now they admit the fuel is leaking, estimating that 900,000 litres of fuel is on board, but maintains that it is ‘probable that the amount of fuel leaked is less than 200,000 litres.’

Sign the petition demandning that the Government urgently send an oil cleanup team to Sāmoa to clean up Manawanui spill.

For the past six years, New Zealand has run a Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care, with the presentation of the Final Report, Whanaketia – Through pain and trauma, from darkness to light in the House of Representatives in July of this year.[1]

The report outlined 138 steps that the government can take to help survivors to heal, and to support them to live full, thriving lives. 

Unfortunately, the Government hasn’t responded in full to the report yet. So far, all they have done is:

• committed to issuing an apology
• established a Crown Response Office in the Public Service Commission and
• provided a rapid payment of $20,000 for survivors of Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital Child and Adolescent Unit, who are terminally ill and have six months or less to live.[2,3] 

Sign the petition calling on the Government to accept all the recommendations. 

The For Future’s Sake Choir is a community choir in Te Whanganui-a-Tara / Wellington, that uses their voices and privilege to advocate for:

• honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi
• improving the wellbeing of disempowered people and
• protecting the environment.

I met them at a protest recently, and they are a lovely group of peeps.

Interested in singing along? Check out the details on their website.

Three community groups are creating a Ngahere Korowai or ‘precious cloak forest’ on the whenua of the Wainuiomata Marae in Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai, Lower Hutt.

People from the Wainuiomata Marae, Transition Town Lower Hutt and Nature’s Vela are hard at work planning the transformation of bare lawn on this busy suburban marae to a thriving native ‘tiny forest’ with a wetland. And this project will provide a model for growing ‘tiny forests’ across Aotearoa New Zealand.

‘Tiny forests’ help cool cities, increase biodiversity, improve human health and teach tamariki the importance of nature.

They will create the Ngahere Korowai using the Miyawaki method pioneered by Japanese ecologist, Akira Miyawaki, who introduced the technique of creating tiny forests – often on degraded land – in cities around the world. 

Help Molly and her team.

Thousands of people are expected to be at the steps of Parliament on 19 November in opposition to the Treaty Principles Bill. They’ll be coming to Wellington from both ends of the country; with city-bound events in Invercargill and Christchurch for those who cannot make to to Welly.

Here’s where you can order a placard.

Watch a explainer on Instagram on the three goals of the hikoi.

Visit the Toitū Tiriti website for the full itinerary and other details. The website’s also got merch to buy and wear, and contact details if you want to help out.

Fridays for Future Te Upoko o Te Ika will be there (in Welly). Look out for our flags!