Setting the Scene for Peace Action – Excerpt from Struggles for a Decolonised and Demilitarised Oceania and East Asia

Published September 14, 2022

The following is an excerpt from the book “Peace Action, Struggles for a Decolonised and Demilitarised Oceania and East Asia”, edited by a wonderful ally, Tangata Tiriti and tireless advocate for peace and justice, Valerie Morse. Valerie and I sat and spoke at length about the application of the Doctrine of Discovery within Te Moananui a Kiwa and the importance of that as background context for its subsequent colonization, the following chapter is the result of that conversation. Kei te mihi nui rawa ki a koe e hoa, nahau i to mai tenei korero i awau. I’m further honoured to be sharing this publication with others I greatly admire, including Arama Rata, Qiane Matata-Sipu, Emalani Case, Mengzhu Fu, Tuhi-Ao Bailey and many others whose essays in this publication uplift and inform us all. I’ve often reflected on disconnection being a definitive characteristic of colonisation, and reconnection therefore being a definitive, non-negotiable characteristic of re-Indigenisation. I’m hugely grateful for this opportunity to connect our narratives through our shared oceanic ancestor that reaches out from all of our shores, to each other, and our shared space in between.