Greg Semu, independent indigenous researcher and artist, is well-known for exploring the romanticised colonialist documentation of ‘first contact’ with the tribal worlds. In this essay, he explains how the notions of hegemony and colonialism are used to to reenact historically significant moments. As a New Zealand-born Samoan, Greg’s work includes concepts of the connecting force of the Samoan Va, and begins from a foundation of community engagement and research.
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Immigration has been a key and contentious policy issue in the lead-up to New Zealand’s general election on September 23, as it has been in many recent election campaigns internationally. Racial Equity Aotearoa (REA) are a grassroots movement working to identify and challenge problematic “immigration myths”, as well as ways to strengthen connections between tangata whenua (Māori) and tangata tiriti (non-Māori). Evelyn spoke to one of REA’s longest-standing members, Alesha Niuapu to find out more.
IMPOLITIKAL 