I know, it's pretty unbelievable. You just have to look at our Chris Trotter post tag to understand the magnitude of my statement. But there you go, today I actually agree with the man.
Chris Trotter has written an opinion piece in today's Dominion Post that discusses the concept of wiping out history by changing the names of places. He admits at the beginning that he is a racist, and it seems his racism has to do with a preference for the gradual evolution of names of places that has to do with the people that actually lived there rather than a wholesale renaming to placate those among us who would make New Zealand a Maori country. Never mind that it was basically built by Europeans and before they came, it was a dog eat dog world.
Related Link : The magical potency of names ~ Dominion Post, Stuff
Chris Trotter has written an opinion piece in today's Dominion Post that discusses the concept of wiping out history by changing the names of places. He admits at the beginning that he is a racist, and it seems his racism has to do with a preference for the gradual evolution of names of places that has to do with the people that actually lived there rather than a wholesale renaming to placate those among us who would make New Zealand a Maori country. Never mind that it was basically built by Europeans and before they came, it was a dog eat dog world.
For a start, I am more than a little disturbed to learn that the Geographic Board is legally obliged to replace English with Maori place-names wherever possible.All worthy questions. This whole train of thought seems to have started for Chris as he contemplated the battle over the spelling of Wanganui. The whole article deserves reading.
This suggests to me that the New Zealand state will not be content until all evidence of its colonial history has been, quite literally, wiped off the map.
WHO IS responsible for this extraordinary policy? Did anyone seek the endorsement of the New Zealand electorate before embarking on what can only be called a campaign of historical ethnic cleansing?
Are the achievements of our pioneering ancestors worth so little that all trace of their presence and contribution is to be expunged?
Related Link : The magical potency of names ~ Dominion Post, Stuff