I’ve been passionate about better race relations all my life, but I’m getting too old to walk for three days so I put my hand up to help with the organizers’ almost 11,000-strong Facebook page.  Over the last few weeks it has had a steady flood of thoughtful comments from Andrew Judd’s supporters.  His frankness and honesty have opened long-closed floodgates and they’re becoming a strongly motivated group of Maori and Pakeha who are firmly committed to getting rid of Pakeha racism and for many, engaging with Maori and listening to our ideas for the first time.  If you’ve watched Andrew’s media interviews you will have noticed he’s a rather special person.

We all know what happened.  The New Plymouth District Council voted to establish Maori wards.  Two people claiming to be from Grey Power (who afterwards disowned them) went to Court to force a referendum.  83% voted against Maori wards for New Plymouth and that was the end of that.

But of course it wasn’t.  Mayor Andrew Judd had been viciously attacked by anti-Maori racists, and not just one or two – rather large numbers.  He realized that if he stood again at this year’s election, not only would he lose but voting would split along racial lines and the new Council would be crippled by bitter in-fighting.  In the interests of the city he decided not to stand again.  So did councillor Howie Tamati, saying only that he couldn’t represent anti-Maori constituents.

That really got people going.  A pro-Maori Pakeha Mayor attacked by Pakeha racists had to be a front-page media story so Andrew Judd appeared on Seven Sharp to tell his story simply and eloquently.  Mike Hosking’s end-piece was classic racism – dismissively arrogant and full of bigotry.   Swiftly Miriama Kamo called him out on her own TV programme Marae Investigates with a severe chastisement, recounting her early sacking by a racist boss when all she had done was to correct him for pronouncing her name wrong.

Within a day two Facebook groups sprang up.  “Get Rid of Mike Hosking” didn’t get much traction, but the other one called “Andrew Judd Fan Club” set up by former Gisborne Councillor Manu Caddie and Parihaka’s Urs Signer really took off with 1,000 members joining on its first day.  It had grown to 3,000 when I joined on the second day and on the third with over 10,000 members I became one of its 8 Admins.  Our task was to create a space where the whole issue could be discussed freely and constructively in a friendly atmosphere.  Everyone could contribute but they had to observe the rules.  A few extremists had to be reined in and a few who kept offending were blocked, but most members quickly learned the kaupapa.

The group has gone from strength to strength with about equal numbers of Maori and Pakeha, many living in other parts of the country.  All are keen to engage in thoughtful and friendly korero about how Kiwis can change their abysmally racist view of Maori and minorities in general.  Many are Pakeha who now freely admit to mistaken racist ideas and are eager to learn from each other, often surprised at how friendly the Maori who they’re engaging with on-line are with no resentment or hostility.  The Maori response has been even more enthusiastic – at last some Pakeha are listening to us!  Even people who find it hard to apologise doing so freely when they got something wrong and everyone else praising them – how often does that happen?

This is an awakening like no other, and it’s on-going.  A realization that people matter and things have to change.  First steps like Andrew Judd’s recent and successful weekly cup of tea at the Council Offices for anyone who wants to come and chat, something every Council should be doing.  Perhaps one or more organizations will emerge over the next weeks and months.  There are many in the group who have never liked racism but couldn’t do much because they thought they were alone, now discovering they’re not and talking with like-minded people.  Who knows where that might lead?

The Parihaka hikoi is a strong beginning and its enthusiasm is deserving of support from everyone.  If enough Pakeha recognize that Maori have something of value to contribute to New Zealand and want to share it, that will be a big step towards righting many more wrongs.

Pakeha are often hesitant to reach out so we Maori need to be openly inviting, show that we want to engage and always remember the old story about how you don’t really get harmony out of a piano until you play the black and white notes together.

The Facebook group’s on-going and anyone can join.  It’s at www.facebook.com/groups/AndrewJuddFanClub/