Art or hate speech? 

There's no such thing as reverse racism, Sean. There's just racism.

Let's just imagine for a moment that such "poetry" was directed to Maori people, to be murdered and eaten... It would make headline news for weeks in New Zealand, it would feature globally in international media, and the outrage would be nationwide. The "poet" would no doubt face legal consequences and possibly death threats.

How are anyone even celebrating this? The racist tones are insane. How is the country and everyone in it suppose to move forward and build with people clinging onto and promoting this hate as normal? I do not understand the world of today.

YOu are right on the spot there Sean. I have been through earthquakes, floods, the rebuilding of a city, the murder of my fellow Cantabrians at the hand of a foreign terrorist, the destabilisation of a city due to this horror, lock downs and the chaos and heartbreak and stress bought on by the traffic light system and mandates. I weathered each storm. But this bloody poem, this bloody horrible and intellectually and morally broken poem really broke the camel's back. It is state funded incitement to murder people based on their skin colour and ethnic heritage. What a bloody mess NZ is in. Despicable. Not a good place to raise kids.

So sad that the government is ok with this terribly destructive rhetoric let alone use my taxed income to develop fund and promote it.

There are those who would happily turn NZ into Zimbabwe. What a truly awful person, oozing bad Karma.

There is no such thing as reverse racism.... it's just racism.

This poem made me look at moving elsewhere. I want my kids to grow up in a place that values people for who they are not what they are and doesn't encourage race based violence or apartheid systems. And my kids are dark skinned. I want them to be able to value and respect all people and their 'european' heritage also. NZ won't allow them this sort of society anymore sadly.

This woman is deeply disturbed.

I have to regret having come to this country...even in Africa people didn't write like this and call it ART.

If it wasn't for James Cook, they wouldn't be riding round in SUV's.

Wow!!!! This is disgusting, she is such a hateful woman, I have never heard such racism.

As a white skinned, redheaded, Polynesian and Māori blooded individual, I actually don’t even know what to think of this…. What’s she playing at? What does she hope to achieve from this creative expression? What’s she doing to help humanity evolve? I get that colonisation was savage, but so too was many other instances in the PAST. Inter Tribal warfare and eradication. Cannabilism. Religious Intolerance and Genocide. We really have to evolve from all this or we will never heal and evolve.

Appalling that this can be allowed its not art its inciting violence

All for free speech but I also believe in the free market. So it pisses me off she is getting NZ tax dollars to write this drivel.

Let's play this on TV1 and TV3, on the 6p.m news! Now I wonder how it would go down across the nation . . . . .

Respect for putting this out. It's really sad of late seeing a lot more people become more extreme with their ideologies in New Zealand. I feel as though we are taking too much influence from American politics which is sad because most of us Kiwis are fairly balanced with our views but this sort of behaviour is going to divide us more. It is upsetting

I would love to see this brought up with our Race Relations Commissioner to see his take on it.

Sick and unhelpful. Deranged beyond belief, sadistic even! Apparently there is already a bit of a problem with violence by teenage polynesian girls in some places, so what does the validation of such a sick "poem" do to address that issue? It is rubbish worthy only to be written, scrunched up and tossed on the fire. You can call almost anything art, but that doesn't mean it is any good. How bizarre, how bizarre!

nats need to use this in their election campaign to show the sort of wasteful spending the current government is involved in

This is Jacinda's legacy of "kindness".

i just emailed the ceo of the art festival to register my concern. this is madness. the NZ i grew up in in south Auckland we never had issues like what certain people are trying to provoke now. its got to stop

What aweful things that evil women has to say. No taxpayer funding should go her way. If anyone wants to fund her they should do it as an individual and share the dishonour of supporting that as an individual.

Show that to David Seymour and let him push it through his channels with his influence.

Sean totally agree with your opinion. This women and her supporters should be stripped of all govt funding and associated awards. Disgusting.outraged

When limited people seek unlimited power, cruelty prevails. Alexander Solzhenitsyn

Freedom of speech is essential. However the question remains if the "poems" racial hate was aimed toward Maori or Pacific individuals there would be an outcry... this is what concerns me greatly in this country today. The fact government are funding and supporting this racial disharmony should concern everyone in NZ. When will we see another stand against apartheid here... because that's what we are facing.

The beauty of free speech... let them expose themselves in true light.

Well done the Platform! Bloody crazy :)

Funny how Stuff has such strict comment guidelines yet they write an article glorifying this hateful Woman's poetry.

It is racism Sean....I used to use the term, reverse racism, until I realized...it is all racism.

So much to say about this on many levels, but just do not know where to start. Gutted as to the state our country is in.

It seems this woman has no idea what James Cooks involvement was in NZ.

Sean thank you for doing this, at one stage you mentioned support I'd say deport,she's obviously not happy here get rid of her! She if you can get Mrs stuff in an let's hear her views. Keep up the good work man.

if someone made some art just as vulgar as that but was towards a demographic that wasn't white or straight or male.. it would not be allowed

I support her right to say anything she likes, it's also good for the rest of NZ to see what these racists actually think, it shows them for the enemy we are all facing in this country. That's what they think and feel, all while claiming the rest of us are the racist for not liking their racist sh$t. NZ needs to see more of them being honest, we might actually do something about them that way. By NZ I mean non-maori people and the majority of Maori in this country. These lot represent a very small % of the country, but unfortunately, they seem to have their hands in all pies, with positions at the top of everything, and they can't wait to get their co gov so they can have it all. Good luck keeping our country without violence if that is allowed to happen. .

you'll know it when you see it. I saw it. I knew it. I reported it. I encourage you all to do so.

She's not very good at poetry.

I'll be putting this "poem" to the Human Rights Commission to get their position on this work as possible "hate speech".

No, that is not art, it is racist hate masquerading as art. Taking government funding is completely irrelevant; the key issue is incitement to violence; and as I understand it, that is a crime. Now, I agree with you in respect to free speech, but as you know that only applies to people of a certain colour. If a white person, especially a man, posted the same art directed at Maori or Pacifica people, he would quickly be visited by the police and Meng Foon. I know one such man who had his life destroyed for posting a satire video (art) about a Maori politician. Free speech is meaningless unless it can be applied equally regardless of your race or gender. But sadly we live in a woke far-left country where intersectionality is applied to everything.

Love or hate Captain Cook, his discovery of the land that is New Zealand, on behalf of Britain is a pretty integral part of our country's history whether we like it or not

We are not born with hate and racisim , it is learnt.

This is exactly what happens when you allow hate disguised as equity go mainstream.

Jesus.. this is very very disturbing.

Its horrible art. I dont find it terribly offensive. The govt shouldn't be funding it. Big props to you guys for playing the thing in its full, and putting it on your website to fully highlight it.

I certainly respect her right to create and publish her poetry. The more exposure the better. It's also useful for prosecution if she does decide to act out her fantasy, either by herself or by proxy through the associates she makes references to.

Well said Sean , I identify with your justified outrage . Once upon a time art was defined as something beautiful , that uplifts the human emotion or spirit.

Woah I wasn't prepared for that! That is some next level shit right there funded by our tax dollars! Wow! Just wow 😲. Thanks for bringing this to the fore Sean.

I totally felt sick about this atrocious rubbish but thank you Platform for speaking out and exposing this hate

Absolutely hate speech, he/she should be behind bars

The world has to see this video!!!

If she wanted to portray herself as a hateful person, I think she has done a very good job. Race has nothing to do with murder rape or anything else. All races have those things.

This is how genocide starts.

That's not just RACIST, it is a disgusting, vicious, provocative, inappropriate, life-threatening rant. ALSO, it is NOT a "poem" nor "ART" as such.

Not art, hate speech plain and simple. Not even attempting to be satire.

The author of this poem does not seem to know of Captain Cook. She talks of his descendants. Captain Cook lost all 3 of his children while mapping the World for our benefit but not just New Zealand but other Nations as well. He was bought up in a Quaker home with little that he owned sleeping nights under a counter in a shop. His legacy is phenomenal. The author also talks of her god - well I can only say I believe Captain Cook believed in a Holy and Righteous God which was evident in his rise to humble fame and not for himself but for humanity. Imo

Can you imagine her family gatherings full of positivity and love lol

It's sad she has a daughter that has to listen to this, such a bad example.

This is highly concerning, Thanks for bringing it to our attention Sean and keep up the good work!

Should there be poems written like this about gangs and the outcomes of their actions?

Hate is hate.,evil is evil......nz is in big trouble if thay think it's art,and promoting it to the media..phyco .😇🙏❤

neither .. it's nothing more than a disgusting incitement of violence

Now replace James with Jacinda.

I think looking past her shock value words to her physique she will again prove the truth of Mike Tyson's quote “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.”

speechless reeks of evil to be honest

How was that even a poem? Came across as really immature in tone and delivery. Really disappointing somebody thought this was a good enough piece of art to receive any promotion.

This sounds more like a manifesto than a poem!

Going to hunt down innocent people for someone else's crimes does not equate to poetic justice...disturbing.

Umm this wouldn't fall under free speach as it is a call to violence

I've made a very complete complaint. And I wanted to have it banned. Here is a copy of my complaint for the record. I wish the commission to consider this complaint with regard to: Harmful or hate speech Words expressing hostility against a group of people because of their race, religion, gender, disability or another personal characteristic. Also: Racial harassment (1) It shall be unlawful for any person to use language (whether written or spoken), or visual material, or physical behaviour that- (a) expresses hostility against, or brings into contempt or ridicule, any other person on the ground of the colour, race, or ethnic or national origins of that person; and (b) is hurtful or offensive to that other person (whether or not that is conveyed to the first-mentioned person); and (c) is either repeated, or of such a significant nature, that it has a detrimental effect on that other person in respect of any of the areas to which this subsection is applied by subsection (2). I stumbled upon the spoken words of Tusiata Avas recently and for the first time in my entire life felt compelled, nay a real responsibility to lay a standards complaint. So as you can see I'm a very tolerant and easy going person. But her words if let to go out unchecked will set a new (low) standard that only invites racial division and hatred and if “state sanctioned” either implicitly or explicitly then it's a green light for more and more of this hate filled speech. As someone who considers themselves a cultural ally (of all cultural identities) I actually clicked on the poem looking forward to a powerful healing and illuminating listen. Alarm bells rang when Ava started describing with apparent relish the knife sinking into cooks “white ribs” . “But we all have white ribs no matter our skin colour!” I thought. Where the heck is this lady going with this? I frowned, puzzled. After listening several times to the entire piece it just comes across as a most vile piece of violence filled speech. I could only conclude that the use of white ribs as a choice of phrase is to single out cooks ethnicity and the “poem” continued to do so. As Ava then swiftly moves forward to create an analogy of going to the site of cooks murder and cooking a big “white pig” (it's pretty common knowledge that pakeha was supposed to mean white pig back in the day) and she wants to “feed it to her dogs” and “fuck you up, bitch” ...Ava then goes on to tell “ James” that they (meaning herself and I presume her community or people) are driving around looking for “ white men like you” and that is expanded on to mean quite a wide array of “incarnations” of James according to the authors personal judgement (that appears to be coming from a less than stable place to be honest). If you look at the “incarnations” criteria it pretty much boils down in the end to being white and male. With those two similarities to Cook, a ‘white male’ is fair game to be “fucked up”. Ava then repeats for the third (or is it the fourth?) time the threat that we’re gonna “fuck you up” to be sure the message is clear. Now, any kiwi from north to south knows this “gonna fuck you up” is the usual and well known phrase for the type of “hiding” that lands the recipient in intensive care, ...or worse. How can this sort of talk be allowed and published and even lauded? Being in my final year of a post graduate counselling degree that is entirely delivered via a cultural competency curriculum, I have studied cultural responsiveness, colonisation, te tiriti and more in great detail for three years and I have also studied anger and violence issues in nz society, which are rife and a real problem to us all. I can categorically say that I was disturbed and saddened to the core that this bit of unhealed spew is being lauded as literature and I've done my work in exploring my unconscious biases, my privilege etc and I'm all for any restorative action when it comes to race and cultural division in this country. But none of Avas words are restorative perhaps to anyone but her. As a society when it comes to expressing the injustices and crimes of colonisation two wrongs do not ever make a right. The intent of this language is not only deliberate hate speech against basically any white male (as an “incarnation” of cook) but an incitement to violence against them, which iskinda scary being a mother of two lovely pakeha males aged 21 and 25 who are out and about to the pub and uni etc and might just come across some of Avas fans in their SUVs. How this piece can not be removed from nz society at once as a perfect example of hate speech is astounding to me and if it is not removed then the bar has just been set for what one sector of our kiwi society can do and say to another sector of society. To let it fly under the radar as “art” is an even more sinister omen for the direction New Zealand could be taken. I love all the progress ‘woke’ society has given us but in some things it's ideologies have gone too far and this is a prime example. If the shoe were on the other foot and the author was white and talking of a brown or black person, Te rapauraha for example -who did his share of pillaging and murdering for sure (and in fact kidnapped a settlor ancestor of mine -but gave her back when her husband negotiated the release) this writing would not have seen the light of day I am sure. The difference though is I as a white female have viewed Te Rapurahas crimes against my family and many other pakeha and Maori whanau in the light of history with a level of perspective. I'm not dragging it forward and walking around saying I'm gonna fuck you up to any “incarnations” of Te Rapauraha (who would only qualify by being brown and male according to Avas criteria). I also want to point out the obvious to the author herself and please pass this onto her as an example of where she might have missed the mark just a little, in her current state of what seems to be complete unhealed rage. She took great pleasure in describing the knife sinking between cooks “white ribs” but is it not true that we all have white ribs? As well as red blood, and beating hearts...and that might be something the author could ponder on if she cared to try to search for our similarities that are more than skin deep, because humans are more the same than different with their same hopes and desires for a happy life, connection and family. As race relations commissioner you surely understand that Fostering Divisiveness in any form let alone this most extreme example is not going to fix anything and in the current climate where identity has been too strongly linked to culture, ethnicity or politics, rather than to put inherent humanity, we need our wordsmiths to be responsive enough to use the immense power of the word to remind us of our underlying humanity first and foremost, not stoke the fires of division further. If they don't understand that truth then it's up to the race relations commission to spell it out to them. I know the environment is so darn woke that you might be scared of censoring this shit but honestly if you don't then anything goes and the extremists on the other side will be spouting examples based on mein kampf next and you will have to let them because you set the bar that low. Finally year's ago I saved a spoken word poem about culture that sung to my soul and I just want to link that because it us a good example of how we can comment on any complex issue powerfully and completely without resorting to hate filled speech. The poet is Aucklander Mohammed Hassein and he clearly navigates life between two cultures and hasn't imploded into extremism. In this piece he explores letting go and rising above misplaced anger and being generationally used as a weapon because of his gender, certainly the misplaced anger part is quite appropriate to this current issue we have with Avas piece. I hope you find the time to listen as I have dug up the link especially for the office. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-3dy7miMyHks.html Ngaa mihi nui

I AM AN ARTIST I am offended by this exploitation. I don't need to hear this angry hatred to know where this leads. Remember Sun Tzu and "The Art Of War" Name 1 person who is not a victim of something! Action speaks louder than words. If these are the best words she can find going into her future. In my opinion, she doesn't have one worth leading/going to. Unless it's to a gang of like minded men who care just as much for a NZ Order of Merit. What a great flag they'd fly behind her. As for the twots that gave one to her . . . They 'd better produce a good reason before I will call that art! Incitation to mindless, gory death by 'female', yes. Art, not a hope!

Sean I love your show but it's not reverse racism it's Racism

See,if anything gets done,about her insane rant.?Hipkins,wake up.!

At what point are you considered to be inciting terrorism? This is openly describing the threat of murdering one specific group of people based on their race (and gender). Surely the threat is designed to terrorise this group, make them fear for their safety. Dont we have anti terrorism laws within NZ? Can you incite or issue a threat then label it 'art' as a legal excuse?

Never heard of her, I'll keep it that way

There’s a man in prison for suggesting an ex PM should be tried by the Nuremberg code and if found guilty hung. That’s process, not a direct threat. This woman has made a direct threat and should be in prison also. Or the bloke should be released. It seems our politicians expect better protection and are more equal. Meng Foon the race relations conciliator will be commenting shortly....chirp...chirp.

This woman has the Nz order of merit? Have we sunk that low? The human rights commissioner should be made to make a statement about this

She forgot to mention she’ll be stopping at KFC on the way 😂. She looks like she prolly is a regular drive thru customer

This is very disturbing to listen to and watch, inciting violence, filled with hate, racism and evil. Not poetry. Never poetry.

This is what it looks like to be a privileged, protected class.

An earlier person suggested this be played on TV1 etc. I'm sure they won't go there but perhaps we could all forward the link to them.. Couldn't hurt..🙂

I'm completely appalled by this, she is not a poet broadcasting this sort of shit, it is all about being racist and hating white men, and she is calling them James, how would this be viewed if we talked about other race and ethnicity and gangs in this way. This is hate speech to a T, and she is getting away with it. Its disgusting and it shouldn't be labeled as poetry.

I actually appreciate her for taking our current tax-payer-funded media narrative, with its dog whistles and undertones, pulling off the scab, and showing it for exactly what it is...

actually we have a whole scientific industry based on what James Cook did in NZ - its called the hydrographic survey industry. ie mapping the seabed and coastline for safe passage. The NZ Navy use this science so they protect the coastline, there are manufacturers of hydrographic equipment in NZ, lots of people are employed in hydrographic surveying. He was outstanding.

Could not agree with you more in this one Sean.

James Cook was a great man and colonisation was a great thing. It took the backwards, savage Maori culture in New Zealand, complete with cannibalism and utu, and replaced it with a civilised culture. For that we should all be eternally grateful.

Does this mean we are forever looking over our shoulder now.?Due to our ethnic demographic.!

Art? It's not even poetry. It's incitement to commit multiple crimes. Disgusting. Time this was dealt with and stopped, not encouraged and celebrated!

Wtf. This is jail. Does this woman want war in nz?

Absolutely disgusting. No place for this. EVER.

I used to think we could all get along but this sort of nonsense suggests some folk are incompatible with civil society.

OMG! How do I get a refund for my tax contribution to this racist, poetic crap!

Hate speech

the irony is Tusiata Avia is mixed Samoan English, not Maori or British descent, in the new NZ order that this government has been pushing she's bottom of the pile, along with everyone else who arrived in NZ after the colonial period.

Who is going to make a complaint ?

She is off the rails nuts.

Strange if it wasn't for James Cook would they be driving around in a SUV or would they have been put into the cooking pot.

Yep, she crossed the line when she included "[Cooks] descendants" being the "white man". Identitarian politics and near incitement for sure.

Captain cook was on one of the greatest scientific voyages in history to observe the transit of Venus. He is also one of the greatest navigators of all time how dare she treat this great man with such hate.

Speechless!! 😔