He Kōrero Papatupu Whenua: Land Stories webinar

He Kōrero Papatupu Whenua: Land Stories
8:30am Thursday 21 March
Kaikōrero:
Dr Arapera Ngaha, Prof Jeannine Hill Fletcher
Ringa hāpai:
Stu McGregor
Dr Arapera Ngaha:
Reconciling injustices that occurred through colonisation with land ownership is one area that the Methodist Church of New Zealand: Te Hāhi Weteriana o Aotearoa has focussed on in seeking to address injustice in the context of Aotearoa. This has allowed us to focus on a Māori theology of land and speak to the land that our churches own and which they have owned for many, many years. Researching the history of acquisition has meant not only researching archival materials, but also engaging with local iwi, hapū and hearing their stories. Where injustice is identified as part of that acquisition, a second level of discussion and exploration is required, how best can we ‘the church’ address the injustice and reconcile with the original owners? This has been the discussion that informed our process of Kōrero Papatupu Whenua (Land Story Telling) and is the subject of this work today.
Prof Jeannine Hill-Fletcher:
In the United States, the project of ‘reconciliation’ will require an analysis of the illegitimate-yet-legal means by which ownership of land was claimed by White Christians. In this long historical project, the Church played a distinct role through an underwriting theology that promoted White Christian ownership. Further, White Christian churches and universities have held onto the illicitly-gained land on which their institutions have been built. Thus, for reconciliation to move forward, a thorough truth-telling must first take place whereby institutions of Church and School reckon with distinctive histories and chart specific commitments to reparation. Guided by the work of Indigenous scholar Maria Yellow Horse Brave Heart, and Christian leaders Duke Kwon and Gregory Thompson, Jeannine Hill Fletcher will share some of the framing issues that theologians in the United States are developing as resources to pursue this work.
Out of respect for our kaikōrero and ringa hāpai, we have not translated karakia, pepeha from Te Reo Māori to English.
This webinar was part of the Te Tiriti-based Futures + Anti-racism open access, online conference, 16-25 March 2024. #TBF2024 www.tiritibasedfutures.info