Death of the Land

There is no room for Māori values today — not regarding the land anyway. Might have been alright once, but unless the land is being utilised people might as well give it up to someone who will — it’s the only way the country can go forward.

– A ‘progressive’ Māori councillor gives his point of view

There were plenty of birds in those days — no birds now since the Pākehā cut the bush down. The Pākehā say that swamp is useless land but in the old days when my people lived there they looked on that swamp as sacred ...

– A kaumatua defends the land against sale