This is it folks, the speech that Richard Neal made while presenting Helen Clark with his Taonga/obligation. The speech, incidentally, was adlib, but here are some general notes...
Wow. What a sacrifice. What a LEGEND!!!!!
First Speech, Oct 6th, 1999
What I am about to do, to me, is very personal,
What I have around my neck is a Taonga.
It is a symbol of growing Maori Tertiary education.
To me it is the most precious object I have that represents my degree, because it symbolises the hard work I have had to do through University and through a history of government abuse that has worked so hard against Maori education.
It is more important to me than my graduation, pictures of in my capping gown or indeed my degree on my wall.
Because this taonga is a symbol given to Canterbury Maori students alone and when I give this gift to you I remind you Helen Clark that there is no such thing as an untrammed gift in Maori society.
For those of you that do not understand the concept of utu, it is not just revenge, it is reciprocation.
So what I give you Helen is not just a gift, but a symbol of obligation to Maori students and indeed all students. And that Obligation is to deliver. That obligation is to give something back to students.
Thankyou
Second Speech: VICTORY. Oct 14th, 1999
Final Speech: Oct 14th, 1999
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