Bastion Point Case Study

The Bastion Point occupation is a New Zealand nationally famous protest to which Maori further established a voice and had pride for their culture and what they believed in. This paper will discuss how they had to go to drastic measures for their voice to be heard and also some of the consequences endured from that. The context and history leading to this protest is hugely influential on why the protest occurred in the first place. The Maori Land Action Committee had a lot of concerns to why they were motivated to protest but with any protest they also faced a hurdle of challenges, to which will always end with consequences. According to the Waitangi Tribunal (2016) the Orakei block was a block of land that was 700 acres in size and originally owned by the Ngati Whatua. Bastion Point is a 60-acre section of this block and it is located to the east of what now is called Mission Bay. In 1886 the Crown acquired 13 acres of this block for …show more content…
Such as previous to the occupation of Bastion Point, Ngati Whatu members and Maori in general had tried appealing to the government through various different ways about their lands being taken deceitfully, but the government simply would not listen. They were fed up and decided to take physical action because their voices weren 't being heard through any other means they had tried, which is reported by Harris, A. (2004, p. 83) "When Joe Hawke began the occupation of Bastion Point, he was following a long line of previous attempts at obtaining just a hearing". Also as the media was predominantly owned by the government, the protest gained a lot of coverage, but not in the kindest of light. This being because the media was controlled by the government at this point meaning it was difficult for the Maori to establish an understanding and a positive reputation in support of their cause to people outside of their local