#BlowtheWhistle - As the New Zealand Rugby Board, resists the idea of a Pasifika voice at its governance table, should we be asking of ourselves these uncomfortable questions of them and us? Is Rugby, much like other institutions, who have utilised our Pasifika sinews and bones, forged on the moana, as simply a commodity, and as it has seen fit? That Rugby institutions, like other institutions have set parameters around our ability to self-determine what that is, where that is, for who and for how much - muzzling our voice to ultimately benefit just themselves their Unions and TV channels?
In fact, one could suggest that rugby, this iconic piece of New Zealand consciousness, is a microcosm of the kind of control and benefit driven by capitalism, and profit that our moana bodies have given from factory floors to rugby fields, and that we have given them like we have done, sadly, with our children’s bodies in State and Faith care - both abused by a system we trusted?
We as people of the moana, I also question, have we participated in this, and are we entirely victims in this whole transactional process? Why do we readily give up our sons and daughters to sport, to schools, communities, workplaces and faith communities that at times do not give them the opportunity to grow and build and move on or up as they see fit and determine?
And for the few that do succeed, we hear of them, we hold them up, we celebrate them, and so we should. But if our aspirations, especially of that initial migrant moana community, were so this very small, tiny piece of us would know and understand success - then maybe we need to ask ourselves, as to whether that is a true collective measure of success?
And finally, the institution of NZ Rugby demonstrates what it actually believes about our bodies, our sons, our daughters and our many years and levels of contribution to the sport of Rugby.
When it closes the door on our voice and does not allow our seat at the Rugby governance table...Have we not earned it..because we don't want to just be on the field and wall...we also want to be at the table? #PacificGovernance #PacificVoices #PacificPlayers #ManaseToa