Tassie Kaz
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You may be at the end of the earth but you are not alone. The actions of one have left the other 24,999,999 of us across The Ditch, appalled & devastated.Hi Kaz, thank you for your kind thoughts. This has certainly sent our little country of 4.5 million people from 200 different races into turmoil. People all over the country are both very angry and very sad. I have had messages of support from my Camino family members all over the world which has been comforting. We will get through this as we do with other difficult events even though we are at the end of the earth we still have our heartbreaks. This picture of a crying Kiwi says it all really...Mark
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Though we walk the camino for countless reasons, and we come from many places, all those differences melt along the way - and astonishingly quickly. Rain falls on everyone the same way and blisters don't care about age, gender, race, or nationality. Status and wealth don't matter anymore, either, when everyone is ankle deep in sticky Rioja mud. There is only our common humanity in the face of the universal challenges of walking, and niether hate nor division have any part in that.
The preciousness of this keeps coming back to me today, after the heartbreaking and shocking news from Christchurch, and with a particular urgency. They are us, we are them. Whoever 'they' are. The Way has shown us that however different we seem on the surface, it is just surface.
I don't know where I'm going with this except to say to my brothers and sisters in (and from) NZ, kia kaha.
And to everyone...buen camino.
May we never forget glimpse of unity that the road has shown us, and find ways to bring it alive at home.
Te aroha, te whakapono, me te rangimarie, tatou tatou e - Love, faith, and peace for us all
Thank you so much Tazzie.I'm sure other Forum members will join with me in letting our Kiwi friends know we are thinking of them & sending our support after the shocking & tragic events which unfolded in New Zealand yesterday.
The walking community is all about diversity, acceptance, compassion, sharing & learning (this Forum is a prime example).
We are often foreigners in new lands in which we are accepted & welcomed. We walk with faith that we will have safe passage. We encounter multiple nationalities, cultures & beliefs which enriches our experience & in return we are ambassadors for our home country.
We are a walking united nations & although outwardly diverse, underneath we are the same & share a common goal.
Stay strong New Zealand...we're with you.
If it's any consolation Gittihare, the Australian strike & marches by the students did receive good media coverage & it was mentioned NZ students also took part. On this occasion it was unfortunate timing but hopefully the young people will know in their hearts & minds they participated in a movement towards positive change. If nothing else, the turnout alone would have shown them they can do great things when they all come together.Thank you so much Tazzie.
This is such a dreadful time for people here. The massacre was one thing, but what also saddened me was the fact that the international school strike for climate action, which had a huge turnout in New Zealand took place on the same day and has not had any coverage as the Chtistchurch thing happened that same afternoon.
What the kids did was the most positive thing to date, demanding immediate action globally and I feel so disappointed for the children that their event was overshadowed by this tragedy.
It would have been very encouraging for them to have recognition through extensive media coverage. Instead there has been nothing but repetitive coverage of the Christchurch events, all day every day. It is so depressing and give huge exposure and airtime to the perpetrators of this crime.
The message to kids is, that if you want to get somewhere you have to use violence, as a peaceful protest doesn't cut it.
The media are really irresponsible In this, as obviously no one has thought about the mental health of our future generation.
I have written to the media re this and hope they will run some special features re the school strikes.
I know, thank you...If it's any consolation Gittihare, the Australian strike & marches by the students did receive good media coverage & it was mentioned NZ students also took part. Hopefully the young people will know in their hearts & minds they participated in a movement towards positive change. If nothing else, the turnout alone would have shown them they can do great things when they all come together.
Unfortunately, on this occasion it was timing no-one could have predicted.
Thank you for your kind words. I am shocked and overwhelmed that terrorism has reached us, so far down here at the bottom of the world. It has shaken us to the core. So many of the people who have been targeted came to NZ to live a safe and peaceful life without persecution. I feel deeply ashamed that this could happen to them in our beautiful land.I'm sure other Forum members will join with me in letting our Kiwi friends know we are thinking of them & sending our support after the shocking & tragic events which unfolded in New Zealand yesterday.
The walking community is all about diversity, acceptance, compassion, sharing & learning (this Forum is a prime example).
We are often foreigners in new lands in which we are accepted & welcomed. We walk with faith that we will have safe passage. We encounter multiple nationalities, cultures & beliefs which enriches our experience & in return we are ambassadors for our home country.
We are a walking united nations & although outwardly diverse, underneath we are the same & share a common goal.
Stay strong New Zealand...we're with you.
Although I have similar feelings of shame regarding the perpetrator, this was the action of an extremist individual; the event is not indicative of New Zealand nor is the assailant indicative of Australians. Hopefully & thankfully, people understand this.Thank you for your kind words. I am shocked and overwhelmed that terrorism has reached us, so far down here at the bottom of the world. It has shaken us to the core. So many of the people who have been targeted came to NZ to live a safe and peaceful life without persecution. I feel deeply ashamed that this could happen to them in our beautiful land.
I agree it makes our pilgrimages feel a bit trivial...we're always fussing over gear, weather, routes, etc BUT doing them provides opportunities to represent our home countries whilst acknowledging diversity, demonstrating acceptance, tolerance & the ability to adapt & learn from those of different cultures & beliefs we meet along the Way. I feel the walking community is a beacon of what could be...harmony & goodwill.We are devastated to think it can happen (did happen) here. There is nothing we can do to really atone for the terrible damage done.
My Camino plans (from Vézelay) seem a trivial effort by comparison. It makes me think that pilgrimage is such a selfish thing. But for some reason it still seems right. Maybe we can shine a little light?
Thanks for your kind thoughts.
Arohanui ki a koutou.
I agree it makes our pilgrimages feel a bit trivial
We are each only able to do what we can do.the walking community is a beacon of what could be...harmony & inclusiveness.
Thank you for posting the link to the video showing the schoolchildren's powerful and moving haka. I am so bereft, but I have to believe that this generation and the leadership modelled by your PM, will make change happen.Kia ora, Alwyn,
My heart goes out to you, and to all.
Once again Aoteroa shines. Amidst the depths of this tragedy, every day there are a thousand acts of kindness,compassion, and respect - from the schoolkids in Chch doing the haka in the street as an act of grief and respect, all the way up to the PM, whose leadership sets an example for the world. And everyone in between.
I too am proud, and immensely heartened.
This is how we could all be living. It is possible.
Me ngā whakaaro, inoi aroha atu...kia kaha....
Yes, and that is why I left the USA over 40 years ago now, but now the madness is spreading. I do hope that NZ can tighten their gun control laws and that Oz ensures the post-Port Arthur measures are not weakened or watered down. All my love and support to the people of Christchurch (our sister city) and to all of New Zealand.We in the USA are far too used to these horrors.
May NZ find strength.
Seems like there is nowhere left to run...Yes, and that is why I left the USA over 40 years ago now, but now the madness is spreading. I do hope that NZ can tighten their gun control laws and that Oz ensures the post-Port Arthur measures are not weakened or watered down. All my love and support to the people of Christchurch (our sister city) and to all of New Zealand.
Alas, we are all in this together, gitti.Seems like there is nowhere left to run...
Yes, I think there are way more compassionate people than destructive ones.Alas, we are all in this together, gitti.
But we can find our way out together, too.
It's the together part that matters.
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