Letter to Students 23 February 2007

Dear Reader

It is Monday night, and I am watching a programme on three political prisoners who were arrested in 1963 in the time of apartheid in South Africa. Life was so hard in these prisons, and yet there was huge strength of spirit among these prisoners. They were so determined to study that they secretly made books out of old paper so that they could study. Viciously punished if they were caught, they hid their precious papers but took any beatings with all the dignity they could muster.

We watch these programmes on the Maori channel and I am really impressed with this channel. Do you ever watch this channel? I love the wide range of thought provoking programmes they screen.

I didn't know any thing of these prisoners who opposed apartheid when I was a teenager, but I was aware of the system of apartheid in South Africa and was very opposed to it. However, it was difficult for New Zealand to show their opposition except to boycott South African goods, and more importantly, boycott our rugby sporting contacts. The government decided that we would not play rugby against South Africa, and this was a huge blow to this nation who prided itself on its ruby prowess. In contrast, the New Zealand rugby union didn't want to mix politics with rugby, and naively believed that playing against the white South African team would not make a difference to the politics of the time. When the South African rugby team, the Springboks, came to New Zealand at the invitation of the New Zealand rugby union, all hell broke loose.

I remember that families were split asunder with some members supporting the tour, and others opposing it. There were protests throughout the country, and these became very ugly at times. Police turned out in riot gear, and ordinary Kiwis appeared to be in a war zone. A helicopter dropped flour bombs on one of the rugby fields at one match, and it was lucky that no one was hurt. Never has there been such a time in our history.

However, time would prove that it was only through the national opposition to the Springbok tour that the South African government finally realized that the native African voice had to be heard in this wealthy country. Nelson Mandela was one of the prisoners who joined these original three prisoners, and he survived thirty years of incarceration to be the first black President of South Africa.

What was your government's stance on the South African situation? Do you think the New Zealand government should have taken such a stance?

Tonight is the eve of Waitangi Day when New Zealand recognizes the Treaty of Waitangi which is the founding document of New Zealand. For anyone living in New Zealand, this is a very important document, and if you are going for any jobs in New Zealand, it is understood that you understand the origin of the Treaty and what is implies. It is not a straightforward history, and there are many workshops on the topic nationwide. What do you know about the Treaty of Waitangi? Tomorrow, 6th February, there will be commemorative services at Waitangi and many politicians will attend.

The dawn service will not be attended by Helen Clark, our Prime Minister, because as she said, "I don't do mornings well,' but will attend the later services. John Key, the new opposition head of the National Party, will be part of the services, and he has a hard row to hoe as in the past, his party having a reputation of supporting Maori in the past. I saw on the news tonight that John Key had taken a young Maori girl from a deprived background to Waitangi as he had promised to do so, and I found it so gratuitous. Key had talked about the underclass underbelly,' and I felt he was using this girl to show how he would lift her out of the mire. It was so sensationalist, and politically motivated, and I squirmed when I saw it on television. His spin doctors need to be shot, I feel, as it was such a cheesy, insincere attempt at buying votes.

John Key was brought up by a solo mother in a state housing area, and grew up to be self made millionaire. I now think that he believes he has the background to solve the problems of New Zealand, but I don't believe it is that simple!

Do you have such a national day? If so, what do you do on this day?

How politically heavy the beginning of this letter is! I often think of such political issues in my mind, but don't often voice them publicly.

I far prefer to talk about my family, and I had such a wonderful weekend with my extended family. My daughter Suny and her partner Nathan celebrated their daughter Indi's first birthday at Nathan's mother's and step father's home in Cromwell. Nathan's father and his wife and two sons also came up from Dunedin, and we had such a special time together. I was in seventh heaven from the time we arrived on Friday evening.

Three weeks earlier, we had been with Indi in Wanaka, and I had taken some wonderful photos which I put in a special photo album. I gave this to the proud parents, and gave Indi some lovely books for her to read. I love books and I hope that Indi will have that same love of books. You can only lay the ground for her, and trust that the seeds will grow.

On Saturday morning, I joined the men in a game of golf, and although we all played terribly, it was a lot of fun. I didn't realise that by wearing a skirt I would get my legs so burnt, and I was in agony that night. This hole in the ozone layer has a lot to answer for!

We returned home later than expected as we had had to look for so many lost balls (not my golf balls!), and we spent the rest of the day playing with Indi and getting to know each other better. It is wonderful being part of an extended family, getting to know others from other blended families, and I took lots of photos so that we had precious momentos of the day. However, it is the memories in our heads which are the most precious, and I returned to Dunedin feeling so incredibly blessed.

Suny rang me last night, and I felt so delighted to be a mother and grandmother. When Suny and I returned to New Zealand when she was five years old, little did I realise what a large family I would have! She and I had travelled the world, and I didn't ever think that we would end up in a family of seven children. How one can never predict one's future!

What do you see in your future, knowing that it is totally unpredictable? On returning to Dunedin on Sunday, we had headed straight to our oldest granddaughter's sixth birthday party, and that was a special party as well. We had spent a weekend filled with love for the family, sunshine, good wine and food, and we fell into bed feeling so contented. Unfortunately, I didn't sleep well as Han snored, and uncharacteristically, it really affected me. I spent the night tossing and turning, knowing that the rest of the family was sleeping well! I didn't begrudge them their sleep as I was so happy! However, the evening has been all easy sailing. The children had Han on for getting us lost on our way home late on Saturday night. We had booked into a motel, and had decided to walk the short distance home as we had had too much to drink to drive. Han has a real sense of finding his way to his destination, and we duly followed the directions he gave. However, he eventually realized that he was lost, and it was only an hour and a half later, after walking round many of the streets of Cromwell, that we knocked on the door of the fire station and found out where the motel was. We weren't that very far away, and we soon made it back to the motel.

As I write, there is now a documentary on an amazing mountain climbing adventure, and I still fail to see the attraction to mountain climbing. It is far too cold and dangerous for me. This particular climb should have resulted in both climbers dying, but they most miraculously survived. One of the climbers said that he had been brought up a Catholic, but had given up the faith. On the mountain, I expected him to say that he had regained his faith, but he frankly said that he didn't think about God, believing that life is only in the here and now. I truly believe that this is the best way to live, doing our best for everyone in this life, and finding comfort in the afterlife only when we have done our best on this earth.

Do you have a religion? What do you believe happens to us when we die? I know that this isn't an easy topic, but it is something that I think about often. Maybe I am odd. Am I? In the documentary, both climbers survived against all odds, one climber in particular having to battle to elements to survive. It obviously wasn't his time to die. He had great skill as a mountain climber, great tenacity (stubbornness), and great luck! We need all three qualities to be successful in life! He was cold and pragmatic, and he needed to be like that to achieve his goals in adversity. However, I would hate to be cold and pragmatic to achieve my goals!

Just before I close, I remember that I watched the film called "In my father's den,' last night and it was such a powerful film. It was written by Maurice Gee, one of our most famous Kiwi writers, and the movie is such a true representation of the book. How can I say that when I have never read the book? I don't even know why I said that! What is your favourite book and movie? I would love for you to tell me about them both. It is now time for me to go to bed, and I look forward to hearing from you soon. Use your skills, be a battler, be tenacious, and all the best of luck in achieving your goals!

Love

Sharron