I am a founding exec member of Te Reo Māori Soc VUW In 1970. 50 years ago. Of all Irish ancestry for over 1000 years my McCaffery- O’Donnell-O’Connor families came to Aotearoa seeking to be part of a very different society free from discrimination about people’s religions languages cultures ..My parents sent me to Teachers College and VUW to make this contribution.There I was accepted by TRM Student friends and Māori Grads org Sir Tipene O’Regan Koro Dewes Api Mahuika ma and was the first young Pakeha to enter Te Reo classes In the modern era .I am passionate about the role and obligation of Pakeha and Tauiwi NZers in the te reo struggle and our story Involvement and contributions had not yet been told I am currently completing this work for the 2020 50 yrs of the Petition celebrations .I am regularly assisting Young people and teachers with information on these stories and feel very honoured and privileged to have enacted the hopes and dreams of my ancestors and families for a more just fair bilingual bicultural society -We have all come too far not to go further
Nga mihi nui ki a tatou
John McCaffery
Nga mihi nui ki a tatou
John McCaffery
Comments