Pregnant women warned off Te Papa tour

[scumdog]

And if some woman didn't know she was pregnant when she visited???

[rachprice]

yes.....is the culture significance releveant today? I dont' get it. This seems to be sexiest and racist all in one! It seems as though Te Papa are saying that the other cultures in are melting pot of society must adhere to this belief....????


So all Chinese/Jewish/Dutch/American/Russian menstrating woman cannot enter ... why?
This is of no significance to her/them - or is it?


Me, I'm a white girl...how Maori feel and believe is not how I feel and believe...yet I must respect their way? Respect their culture...is the respect a two way street.....this just seems wrong. How can they dictate to all women?

This seems unjust...to put all in one basket and say this is how it is when we are all different with different beliefs....

Hmmm I dont understand what is so offensive

Yes when you should respect their way when you are given the priveledge to view a sacred part of their culture.

Like not taking cameras into the buddhist temples or taking your shoes off, just because I don't necessarily believe it (though it is a beautiful religion) I still do it.

It is saying ALL women....Maori and otherwise

[Mully]

Te Papa is a public museum, yet they are saying not all public can enter! They are saying if you are pregnant and or menstrating you cannot come in.

No they aren't.

They are explaining the beliefs of the people to whom these things belonged and requesting that pregnant/menstruating women respect that.

The irony is, if Te Papa didn't make this statement, Hone Harawira and his ilk would be screaming that they weren't respecting the items.

Plus, this is a behind-the-scenes tour in any case. The rest of the museum is open slather for women up the duff.

HOLY EDIT BATMAN: - it's not even for the public. It's for regional museum staff. (and it's up to 351 comments now).

[MadDuck]

And some people believe the Earth is flat.

Are you saying it isnt

[MSTRS:Me]

The irony is, if Te Papa didn't make this statement, Hone Harawira and his ilk would be screaming that they weren't respecting the items.

How long has Te Papa been open, and other museums before it and elsewhere? Without a peep out of 'that lot'?

[Genie]

Hmmm I dont understand what is so offensive

Yes when you should respect their way when you are given the priveledge to view a sacred part of their culture.

Like not taking cameras into the buddhist temples or taking your shoes off, just because I don't necessarily believe it (though it is a beautiful religion) I still do it.

It is saying ALL women....Maori and otherwise

OH I dont' find it offensive...I'm confused how this can fit with today's society.....

[The Stranger:Me]

Hey out there....

Just read this article and I'm a bit confused...I do understand the culture signifigance of all of this....where I'm sturuggling is, is this some way of making women second class citizens?

This is an age old way of Maori (correct me if I am wrong), that can be respected....the age old ways of women being second class and subservant to men, whereby men lead the community, have we not moved on from this?

How can the past be relevant in today's society?

It seems as though age old Maori traditions are not moving with society...can today live with yesterday? Society gives us so many contradictions.

I'd kinda like your interpertation of this.....

It's "for their own safety."
It's clearly an OSH issue and ranks up there with speeding.

Personally I'm all for it - think of all the ACC claims that will be prevented if women stay home.

[Mully]

How long has Te Papa been open, and other museums before it and elsewhere? Without a peep out of 'that lot'?

Perhaps because no Fairfax "journalist" with nothing better to do got involved and created a non-story?

And I recall many peeps about the shrunken heads that the French (was the the French, or the Poms?) had in their museums until they were returned.

[Genie]

It's "for their own safety."
It's clearly an OSH issue and ranks up there with speeding.

Personally I'm all for it - think of all the ACC claims that will be prevented if women stay home.

What is going to happen????

[rachprice]

I'm confused why people make such a big deal out of being respectful to other peoples cultures and beliefs


Im pulling out early cos I can see this getting out o control

[davebullet]

Te Papa is on shaky grounds. This is discrimination. Human Rights Commission anyone?

how much of the tour is around these sacred maori objects?

Why put shit into a museum then proceed to restrict who can see it? They should put the sacred objects in a marae and then they've got their own club rules they can apply.

How do they tell whether a woman is menstruating or pregnant? (Ignore the obvously pregnant answer). Is this an honesty system?

Imagine if the role was reversed... Me as a white man put my triumph in Te Papa and said culturally I couldn't let anyone with a maori tattoo in to see it. Would that go down well? I bet I would be had up nationally or internationally on discrimination grounds.

[rie]

OH I dont' find it offensive...I'm confused how this can fit with today's society.....

...yet many Maori live by tikanga just fine and still have their ipods. Since it isn't visible to non-Maori (through a combination of geographical remoteness and wilful blindness) it's convenient to pretend it's just cultural kow-tow Maori people pull out in public places to piss us off.

[davebullet]

I'm confused why people make such a big deal out of being respectful to other peoples cultures and beliefs


Im pulling out early cos I can see this getting out o control

Already is out of control

I suppose why put them in a public museum when you can't show 'em to the public?

[The Stranger:Me]

What is going to happen????

FFS, what's happened to the education system in NZ? Surely they taught you that in primary school.

[Grubber]

Me....i think all woman should just stay in the kitchen with thier slippers on and get the bloody dishes done myself. This way we wouldn't have a problem with this sort of thing at all.
No ya place i say.
This thing will just not go fast enough>>>>>