Preserving Heritage (fwd)

[phil cash cash]

Preserving Heritage

Story Published: Oct 14, 2007 at 8:29 PM MDT
By Penny Preston
[multimedia inset - Watch the video]
http://www.kulr8.com/news/local/10540372.html

CODY, WYOMING - An historic meeting of natives from New Zealand and the
North America took place in Cody this week. They came together at the
Buffalo Bill Historical Center to help each other preserve their languages
and culture.

A Moari musician played a flute made of whale bone in the Coe Auditorium in
Cody. The haunting music of the Moari is a big part of their culture, as is
their language. Their challenge now, to revive the culture and language
among their youth.

Tapahia Heke is a Moari Tutor. He explained why language is so important.
"It's basically identity. It's who you are and what you do. And we found
that most people in New Zealand, like most Maori, that are educated in both
Moari and Europeon ways have ended up becoming quite successful career wise.
Blackfeet tribe member and Plains Indian Museum Advisor Curly Bear Wagner,
said, "We're all different in our ways, but held together by a common bond,
and that's our culture, our traditions, or our way of life, meaning our
religion."

Although oceans apart, the indigenous peoples of North America, and New
Zealand found they share common pasts. Their grandparents, and parents,
were not allowed to speak the native language. Heke said, "We've reached
the same sort of boundaries because we're basically under the boundaries of
the English queen, we had to abide by their rules because we became
residents of the English crown. It was hard to try to put the things we do
the way we do it, into a context that would suit them, because basically it
was their rule or no rule originally."

Both Heke, and Wagner say the best way to understand their culture is to
listen, and learn. Wagner told KULR 8 he's working to get Indian histories
in Montana schools. "The Indian people want to know and not only the Indian
people, but the non-Indian students want to know more history about the
first nations." The Maori were brought to Wyoming from New Zealand for the
31st annual Plains Indian Museum Seminar.