The ways we stand by each other
“I stand beside Indian New Zealanders who recognise Te Tiriti o Waitangi, in the same way as I stand beside anyone who recognises our nation’s foundational arrangement.” — Denis O’Reilly.
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Tag: Denis O’Reilly
Two takes on Tākuta
“For ethnic communities — Indians, Asians, Black, and others — this is an invitation, not a rejection. It’s a challenge to move past the shallow version of multiculturalism that demands assimilation into Pākehā-dominated frameworks, and engage instead with Māori as partners under Te Tiriti.” — Professor Mohan Dutta.
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The lethal invader in our communities
“Not one atom, not one molecule of methamphetamine is indigenous to Aotearoa. It is a lethal invader, colonising the mind of the user as surely as foreign systems and patterns of thinking colonise our society.” — Denis O’Reilly.
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Reimagining what it means to be a gang
“Reimagining what being a ‘gang’ means is complex and requires rejecting the imposed criminal connotations, not only by voice but in action, placing whānau at the heart of lifestyle, and moving away from gangsterism.” — Denis O’Reilly.
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A tale of two cities
“Never mind Auckland’s ostentatious wealth. Provincial visitor from Hawke’s Bay, I may be, but I prefer the company of the honest society of the Auckland downtown’s brown whānau.” — Denis O’Reilly.
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Joe Walsh’s awakening at Ōtātara
“It was here on a visit many years ago, up on the hills, that I had a moment of clarity. I don’t understand it, but I reconnected with my soul, and I remembered who I used to be . . .” — Legendary Eagles’ guitarist Joe Walsh, on his awakening at Ōtātara, Hawke’s Bay.
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Reason to feel hopeful about Aotearoa
“The tamariki received a standing ovation, partly because they filled the audience with hope and belief that the disrespectful and demeaning politics of the present will fade like mist before the sun of our nation’s culturally adept youth.” — Denis O’Reilly.
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Build communities, not just houses
“If we want to tackle domestic violence, sub-optimal childcare, abuse of intoxicants, be they licit or illicit, and dare I say it, gangs, then a good place to start is literally on the social housing whānau doorstep.” — Denis O’Reilly.
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Waiting for the sober talk on gangs
“Sobriety will dawn in the days following the election when whoever finds themselves in power will be confronted by the same intractable and complex problems faced by the current administration.” — Denis O’Reilly.
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The least of these, my brethren
“Māori gang members . . . have suffered the negative consequence of being poor, young and brown in contemporary Aotearoa New Zealand without enjoying any of the compensating advantages of a strong sense of Māori identity.” — Denis O’Reilly.
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Peace, unity and restless activism
“Let us not forget and fail to salute Pat while he’s still with us. We should demonstrate that we hear and listen to his kōrero by way of restless activism.” — Denis O’Reilly on his kaumātua Pat Magill.
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Reading the room
“I’m not sure that the room is anything like the one being described. At Waiohiki, I saw New Zealand citizens of many races using the marae as a place of refuge. The rain fell on us all.” — Denis O’Reilly.
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Cyclone Gabrielle: ‘We were a united nation’
“We were caring for each other, sharing what we had, improvising meals without access to electricity, making sure the young ones felt safe even after traumatic experiences.” — Denis O’Reilly, on the impact of Cyclone Gabrielle on his community in Napier.
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Putting power in the hands of whānau
“Rather than catching people doing things wrong, how about catching them doing things right? And helping them do more of that?” — Denis O’Reilly on the changing attitude towards charities.
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He maimai aroha: Wiremu ‘Knockers’ Allen
“Knox was feared and respected in equal measure. He served serial terms of imprisonment. However, age, maturity, the influence of a loving partner, and the presence of children, even in a rapscallion’s life, tend to soften and heal.” — Denis O’Reilly on Black Power leader Wiremu ‘Knockers’ Allen.
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Sort Out The Warriors
“According to the police’s own history, initially, the New Zealand Police were formed to counter a gang problem — that problem being the gangs of Pākehā sealers and whalers wreaking havoc among Māori communities.” — Denis O’Reilly.
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