Mawhera Corporation. 10 January, 2008

Shows a truck with the name 'Mawhera Corporation' dumping four memorial pillars onto the ground. All around lie dead soldiers. The truck driver whistles mindlessly. Refers to the removal by Maika Mason of four war memorial gate pillars from the Grey Main school site where they'd stood for 85 years, thus causing much grief and outrage in the community. The pillars lay in a paddock until Mason was persuaded to return them. However Mason refuses to apologise as the pillars were in the way of a planned shopping development and although there had been talk for a year about moving them, nothing was done. However there is more to this story, see below...

Mawhera's land derives from pockets reserved by West Coast Maori in Ngai Tahu's 1860 land sales. It was managed by a public trustee until West Coast Maori wrested back control in the early 70s and established Mawhera Incorporation. By then, it had been reduced from 200ha to 140ha through land sales, and the lost economic opportunities had taken a social and cultural toll. "The deprivation we suffered is the basis of our attitude today," says Mason.

Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).