Corrections officer Josie Bullock, disciplined last month for refusing to sit behind men at a powhiri, has been stood down from work for talking to the media about her case.
The Auckland woman was given an oral warning for the way she handled the graduation ceremony in December.
She was also told not to discuss the case with the media, which has followed her story and the issues surrounding the balancing of women's rights to equality and traditional Maori protocol.
Ms Bullock ignored that directive and spoke to the media about her warning and how she would continue to sit with men at another ceremony.
She has been put on special leave while the Department of Corrections decides how to handle her. A decision is expected today or Monday.
United Future MP Marc Alexander said it was a travesty that she was facing further disciplinary action.
"She was told she might have breached three clauses of an employee code of conduct ... If that's the case maybe it's time to rip up the rule-book and start again."
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who made that last quote? it doesn't ...
who made that last quote?
it doesn't even say,
it's to be read as what?
geat sourcing emokid
Marc Alexander has big words, maybe he ...
Marc Alexander has big words,
maybe he can physically rip it up himself
or get one of his gimps to do it for him.
empties worded MPs
and fuck her
she wants to fuck with the protocol of our countries native people?
why doesn't she just flop out her tits and sing 'mull of kyntire'?
fucking stewardesses dressed up as eskimos
fuck your disrespectful minge Josie,
our civilazation has very little respect for 'traditional' cultures as is
without some whorex, state paid bandstander pulling more shit for the man
sure that powhiri shit is not politically correct
but since when has politics set any humanist example,
and we are fucking human still right?
no we're fucking powhiri fucking disrespecting mother fuckers out to set an example for drivel,
just stand behind the men man
that's what you are paid for.
Excluding use of the words "minge" ...
Excluding use of the words "minge" "whorex" and "mother fuckers", I agree 100%
If she feels so oppressed by a simple protocol then she should go get a job in the girl guides. It's pathetic.
fuckm if i ws a waitress and i sat on ...
fuckm if i ws a waitress
and i sat on my fucking customers table
i'd lose my job
why?
what the fuck is disrespectful about sitting on a table
biatch
//United Future MP Marc Alexander said ...
//United Future MP Marc Alexander said it was a travesty that she was facing further disciplinary action.
I think it's a travesty that an MP is so upset about it. Not only has this woman made a scene at a formal meeting, but she's made a fuss to the media when she'd been instructed not to. While the issue in question may or may not be worth debating, and while she may be resigned to the possibility of losing her job to make her point, it disgusts me that an MP is condemning her employers for reining in a demonstrably loose cannon; thereby implicitly vindicating her behaviour.
if she complains more, people can just ...
if she complains more, people can just say "get a job!!!"
I'm a little two minded about this ...
I'm a little two minded about this case. Firstly we should respect other people's culture, but how far should we go? If it was in Maori culture for the chief to deflower all the girls would we stand by and let it happen because it is part of their culture?
When you look at NZ culture in general, it has changed over time. For example, women can now vote. Shouldn't Maori culture move with the times too? But then maybe I am just looking at it through the lens of my culture. Perhaps my culture went backwards in allowing women to vote? Shouldn't Maori culture be required to respect her culture too? Is Maori culture more valid than hers?
Personaly I think she should be able to stand where she likes. Maybe I am just biased against fixed gender distinctions because I am gender dysphoric, but would it be such a huge blow to Maori culture if they allowed women to occupy the same position as men at a powhiri? I suppose this could be viewed as cultural errosion, but I think it would really be cultural evolution.
//I think it would really be cultural ...
//I think it would really be cultural evolution.
I like that phrase a lot. I think that so many cultures have allowed women to advance - like the Anglican church, for example - while still retaining their identities, so I'd like to think that the powhiri could too. When we have them at work, there's no seperate seating.
I'm also in two minds (or at least ...
I'm also in two minds (or at least pretty neutral) but I think this case isn't about whether or not we should adhere to cultural protocols. To me it's about whether the action this woman took was appropriate, or more to the point, whether her cause justified the impropriety of her actions.
I think the world needs its share of mavericks to butt against the system, and who knows, perhaps this woman has been exploring more appropriate methods of voicing her concerns for years... but I just think in a matter as trivial as this (and it is a trivial matter compared to, say, the institutionalised deflowering of virgins), if she wanted to be taken seriously she'd be far better off taking her position with dignity, and writing letters to our quite impressive list of female political leaders, and the editors of, say, the listener and metro.
I'm far more annoyed by their ...
I'm far more annoyed by their continued use of Titewhai Harawira as an expert on Maori protocol. Apart from the fact that each tribe differs in their customs, you'd think they could pick someone who isn't known for the extremity of their views. It'd be kind of like perennially interviewing Pope Tamaki for a christian perspective. Perhaps it makes good television, but it's shit journalism. Maybe they should interview Carol Hirschfeld. Oh wait, she's Ngati Porou, and they're happy to accept women leaders...
//I'm far more annoyed by their ...
//I'm far more annoyed by their continued use of Titewhai Harawira as an expert on Maori protocol.
Letting her represent the 'Maori side' of the argument reflects such ignorance of the real issues- what need is there to sensationalise an otherwise interesting story?
//represent the 'Maori side' of the ...
//represent the 'Maori side' of the argument
I should explain (because you won't have seen this), they usually have her and some maori man of the cloth whose name isn't too memorable. So in some ways it does reflect the lack of agreement in Maoridom, but they don't really link that back to the debate...
Surely each tribe has set out it's own ...
Surely each tribe has set out it's own local protocol for the Powhiri? Or is there a national rulebook?
I'm no expert myself- but maori.org had some interesting stuff about the how impotant the role of women are in the Powhiri, particularly in the Kai Karanga:
"Normally a woman from the host side, Kai Karanga calls first to indicate to the manuhiri to move forward on to the marae. This is normally answered by a woman's response from the manuhiri, Kai Whakaatu. The purpose of the karanga is to weave a spiritual rope to allow the waka of the manuhiri to be pulled on. It should never be broken and the sound should be continuous, each side weaving in and out of each other. The karanga also opens the tapu of Te Maraenui Atea o Tumatauenga to allow safe passage across for the manuhiri. A wahine must never karanga if she has her mate wahine, or if she is hapu, for at those stages of her life she is incapable of opening the tapu of Te Maraenui Atea o Tumatauenga."
"The karanga is not just a call of one person to another. It is a spiritual call that has been heard in Aotearoa for generations and generations and it provides the medium by which the living and the dead of the manuhiri may cross the physical space to unite with the living and the dead of the tangata whenua. It can also be an identifying call from the manuhiri indicating where the group has come from. At a tangihanga where groups follow one another this becomes more crucial."
"The karanga awakens the emotions. It brings an awareness that what is happening is not just a simple act onto a marae - there is a presence of people, both physical and spiritual. The whole procedure of coming together is based upon a tradition that is as meaningful today as it is in the past. "
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I don't think anything is very set in ...
I don't think anything is very set in stone... and frankly, I'm a bit surprised that corrections appear to be quite rigid about it. I've been involved with a variety of organisations, and my impression was that kai was more important than where people were sitting etc. However, given that the format is somewhat up to those organising it, then perhaps if the powhiri was being led by a more conservative person then they might be more of a stickler for whatever protocol they're into.
There has to be some sort of element of flexibility, especially in a non-marae setting. Normally the tangata whenua would do the welcoming, but sometimes the visitors are the local iwi, and the 'hosts' might be a maori staff member at the organisation or something...
On one hand is was Maori culture, and ...
On one hand is was Maori culture, and it was a Maori ceremony, on the other hand it wasnt on a Marae, it was in a correctional facility was it not?
she wasnt involved in the ceremony, she isnt maori so she should do whats shes told in the given foreign environment, but then if shes not a maori why should she have to follow the culture/protocol?
its hard to side strongly with either side,
But if you walk into someones house or Marae and they ask you to take off your shoes, you take them off, its part of their culture and it shows respect, so why should sitting or not sitting at the back be any different?
Then again it wasnt on sacred land or a Marae ( I really hope I have spelt Marae right, but Im not sure that I have)
Personally I think shes making a big deal out of nothing and she should just get over it.
good post dan. and yes, you spelt marae ...
good post dan. and yes, you spelt marae right.
Josie Bullock has been doing wierd ...
Josie Bullock has been doing wierd stuff and making a scene for quite a while now. . she stood in the Wellington local body elections a few years back, basing her campaqign entirely on a promise to refurbish and reinstall the antique Wellington cable cars that were sitting in storage/museum.
I went to one of the candidates meetings and got the pleasure of listening to her rave for 10 minutes +about these cable cars, while all the other candidates sat there sniggering...
heh. kind of like a L** S*** at 50......
heh. kind of like a L** S*** at 50...
L** S*** at 50 is going to be Prime ...
L** S*** at 50 is going to be Prime Minister for National. Hasn't she told you that yet?
I think she's going *punk rawk* now :|...
I think she's going *punk rawk* now :|