Editorial: Special Issue - Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Donna Awatere’s Māori Sovereignty

Abstract

During the 2022 Sociological Association of Aotearoa New Zealand (SAANZ) annual meeting, Terina Kaire-Gataula (Ngāpuhi and Niuean) emphasized the importance of embracing voices from recent history. She highlighted the significance of local voices that speak to the experiences of the present generation, particularly those affected by Eurocentric patriarchal violence. Kaire-Gataula acknowledged the contributions of Haunani Kay Trask and Angela Davis, urging listeners to honor the knowledge of those who deeply understand the legacy of colonial white supremacy violence.

The text also discussed the reflections of Ramari Jackson-Paniora during the 50th anniversary of the Māori activist group Ngā Tamatoa in 2022. Jackson-Paniora shared her mother's legacy and the conditioning she faced to assimilate into Pākehā culture. Both Kaire-Gataula and Jackson-Paniora emphasized the impact of rhetorical devices that downplayed land dispossession and racism, leading to increased racial oppression during the 1960s.

The text referenced Donna Awatere's seminal work, "Māori Sovereignty," which critically analyzed white cultural imperialism as a pervasive force shaping life in New Zealand. Awatere's call-to-action prompts readers to understand and confront white cultural imperialism's influence on society, health, education, and housing discrimination. The text further delves into Awatere's viewpoints on capitalism's role in perpetuating racial exploitation and violence, as well as the genocidal implications of the criminal justice system targeting Indigenous peoples.

The special issue celebrating the 40th anniversary of "Māori Sovereignty" presented various articles examining Awatere's ideas in the present context. Topics ranged from exploring necropower and fascism in Aotearoa New Zealand, understanding white cultural imperialism, to comparing Awatere's perspectives with the US Black Power movement and Angela Davis' prison industrial complex theory. The contributors and reviewers were thanked for their efforts in this special issue, which continues to inspire the resistance against imperialism and the quest for justice. The text also expressed gratitude to Donna Awatere for her activism, courage, and intellectual contributions.