I had a friend who was Māori but never acknowledged her Maori heritage. We would clash over it, she always seemed to look down on Māori. It frustrated me to no end until one day it hit boiling point. She said Māori were nothing but once were warrior women beating gangstas n I

called her a plastic Māori coloniser. I went home in angry tears. When my papa asked me what happend I told him. He then asked me "why does she look at Maori like that I wonder." The next day he came to me and told me that her mother abandoned her, her siblings were adopted to

different non Māori families. He then said to me "you feel connected to your people, your iwi, your whenua, to Māori why do you think that is?" um because I grew up Māori. Hmm think about that he said. So I thought about it and I realised what he was getting at. I had the

privilege to grow up Māori but my friend did not. It wasn't her fault really was it. I went to her house to make amends, our friendship was rebuilt and with the help of my papa we were able to show her the beauty of our culture. Years later my SIL was the same ashamed to be Māori

Everyone would talk down to her call her plastic etc but I was determined to show her the beauty of our culture. Fast-forward to today and she speaks a lil bit of reo, she loves kapa haka, she has embraced who she is n it was one of the most beautiful journeys I have watched.

My point is their is a way to protect our culture and who we are but locking our own disconnected ppl out isn't the way to do it. Is it not better to help our ppl. Even I still need help with some aspects n I'm grateful to those who are so open and welcoming. I will always leave

gate open for others and help them where I can.