About Us
He rōpū tauiwi nō Āhia mātou kia tū ki te tautoko i te tino rangatiratanga me te mana motuhake o ngā tangata whenua, o ngā tangata taketake, o ngā iwi Māori o Aotearoa.
We are a group of tauiwi from various Asian backgrounds who support tino rangatiratanga and mana motuhake for the Indigenous people of Aotearoa.
Our history
We want to first acknowledge that we are not the first to work on this kaupapa, and there have been many leaders before us who have worked to educate others on Te Tiriti o Waitangi which are present and ongoing. We thank the many people who have worked tirelessly to continue the fight for tino rangatiratanga. We are especially grateful to the late matua Moana Jackson (may he rest in love) for his guidance, generosity, and friendship over the years. We want to also acknowledge Marama Davidson for her support since the beginning, which inspired us to get organised.
The 'Asians Supporting Tino Rangatiratanga' banner was first taken to Waitangi in 2010, a message inspired by the earlier work of Māori-Chinese author Jenny Lee-Morgans's Jade Taniwha (2007) and Malaysian-Chinese Pōneke-based activist, Wai Ho's Mellow Yellow (c.2005) zine. The banner was later used and taken care of by Young Asian Feminists Aotearoa, which was a network that explored what it means to be Asian feminists in relation to Te Tiriti and our role in decolonisation. This was during a time when the Idle No More movement, the Occupy movement and the October 15th solidarity in response to colonial state violence targeting Tūhoe and Māori sovereignty activists were in motion.
We want to first acknowledge that we are not the first to work on this kaupapa, and there have been many leaders before us who have worked to educate others on Te Tiriti o Waitangi which are present and ongoing. We thank the many people who have worked tirelessly to continue the fight for tino rangatiratanga. We are especially grateful to the late matua Moana Jackson (may he rest in love) for his guidance, generosity, and friendship over the years. We want to also acknowledge Marama Davidson for her support since the beginning, which inspired us to get organised.
The 'Asians Supporting Tino Rangatiratanga' banner was first taken to Waitangi in 2010, a message inspired by the earlier work of Māori-Chinese author Jenny Lee-Morgans's Jade Taniwha (2007) and Malaysian-Chinese Pōneke-based activist, Wai Ho's Mellow Yellow (c.2005) zine. The banner was later used and taken care of by Young Asian Feminists Aotearoa, which was a network that explored what it means to be Asian feminists in relation to Te Tiriti and our role in decolonisation. This was during a time when the Idle No More movement, the Occupy movement and the October 15th solidarity in response to colonial state violence targeting Tūhoe and Māori sovereignty activists were in motion.
ASTR in Tāmaki Makaurau
In 2016, a group of 6 Asians (with connections to Singapura, Malaysia, Taiwan, mainland China, and Vietnam) met at Waitangi with the banner on Waitangi Day. Many of us met through feminist and/or queer activism, or at Waitangi the year before for a hui organised by Network Waitangi targeted at young activists interested in applying Te Tiriti to their activism. Afterwards, Marama Davidson shared a photo of the group that circulated widely on Facebook. This encouragement led to the formation of ASTR as a group and organisation based in Tāmaki Makauraua.
That same year, matua Moana Jackson released the Matike Mai report that details visions for constitutional transformation. During this year, members of ASTR also connected and became involved with Racial Equity Aotearoa, an Indigenous-led organisation seeking to dismantle systemic racism.
In 2016, a group of 6 Asians (with connections to Singapura, Malaysia, Taiwan, mainland China, and Vietnam) met at Waitangi with the banner on Waitangi Day. Many of us met through feminist and/or queer activism, or at Waitangi the year before for a hui organised by Network Waitangi targeted at young activists interested in applying Te Tiriti to their activism. Afterwards, Marama Davidson shared a photo of the group that circulated widely on Facebook. This encouragement led to the formation of ASTR as a group and organisation based in Tāmaki Makauraua.
That same year, matua Moana Jackson released the Matike Mai report that details visions for constitutional transformation. During this year, members of ASTR also connected and became involved with Racial Equity Aotearoa, an Indigenous-led organisation seeking to dismantle systemic racism.
ASTR in Pōneke
In 2018, matua Moana Jackson connected a young Asian law student in Pōneke with the Tāmaki group. In a co-organised event by visiting members of ASTR and Asian Law Students Association, matua Moana shared his kōrero to an audience of 200 people on how Te Tiriti is relevant to Asian communities. This instigated the formation of ASTR Pōneke.
ASTR in Ōtepoti
More recently, Ōtepoti ASTR formed in 2022 thanks to Sina Brown-Davis who connected ASTR Tāmaki members with a group of Asians interested in honouring Te Tiriti.
In 2018, matua Moana Jackson connected a young Asian law student in Pōneke with the Tāmaki group. In a co-organised event by visiting members of ASTR and Asian Law Students Association, matua Moana shared his kōrero to an audience of 200 people on how Te Tiriti is relevant to Asian communities. This instigated the formation of ASTR Pōneke.
ASTR in Ōtepoti
More recently, Ōtepoti ASTR formed in 2022 thanks to Sina Brown-Davis who connected ASTR Tāmaki members with a group of Asians interested in honouring Te Tiriti.
Our values
Welcoming: we welcome people of Asian descent into the group. We recognise that ‘Asian’ is a homogenous category that includes a multitude of different identities, and by that differing experiences, privileges and marginalities that we each hold. As a grassroots collective, we welcome the experiences, skills and knowledge of any member regardless of where they are at in their anti-oppression journeys as we all contribute in the ways we can for our collective liberation.
Reflexivity: We recognise and are willing to address our own privileges and complicities.
Humility: No matter where we are on our learning journeys, we all have more to learn. No matter how long we have been doing this work, we remain open to further learning, as well as contributing to the learnings of others. We believe people can learn and grow in community.
Responsibility: As tauiwi, we have the responsibility to uphold Te Tiriti and support Indigenous-led efforts to self-determination by educating our own communities. In these communities, we hold each other responsible to create communities of care and change.
Reciprocity: Political change is the labour of many. It requires collective and mutual care and support.
Accountability and Privacy: Our work is guided by He Whakaputanga, Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Matike Mai, and our responsibilities as tangata tiriti to ensure an honourable Te Tiriti relationship. We have relationships of accountability that seek to ensure our solidarity work is supportive, and constantly review our efforts to be in line with decolonial efforts for Indigenous sovereignty.
Building and maintaining strong relationships. Our work is explicitly decolonial, anti-racist, anti-opressive that is fundamentally rooted in our responsibilities as tangata tiriti. We support and work with groups and projects that are in line with these commitments, and seek opportunities for education, critique and evaluation to constantly improve. This underpins the above values of humility and responsibility, and bolsters accountability.
Our work, guided by the above values, is:
Intersectional;
Anti-racist;
Decolonial;
Based on collective action;
Intergenerational; and
Driven by critical hope and collective care.
Welcoming: we welcome people of Asian descent into the group. We recognise that ‘Asian’ is a homogenous category that includes a multitude of different identities, and by that differing experiences, privileges and marginalities that we each hold. As a grassroots collective, we welcome the experiences, skills and knowledge of any member regardless of where they are at in their anti-oppression journeys as we all contribute in the ways we can for our collective liberation.
Reflexivity: We recognise and are willing to address our own privileges and complicities.
Humility: No matter where we are on our learning journeys, we all have more to learn. No matter how long we have been doing this work, we remain open to further learning, as well as contributing to the learnings of others. We believe people can learn and grow in community.
Responsibility: As tauiwi, we have the responsibility to uphold Te Tiriti and support Indigenous-led efforts to self-determination by educating our own communities. In these communities, we hold each other responsible to create communities of care and change.
Reciprocity: Political change is the labour of many. It requires collective and mutual care and support.
Accountability and Privacy: Our work is guided by He Whakaputanga, Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Matike Mai, and our responsibilities as tangata tiriti to ensure an honourable Te Tiriti relationship. We have relationships of accountability that seek to ensure our solidarity work is supportive, and constantly review our efforts to be in line with decolonial efforts for Indigenous sovereignty.
Building and maintaining strong relationships. Our work is explicitly decolonial, anti-racist, anti-opressive that is fundamentally rooted in our responsibilities as tangata tiriti. We support and work with groups and projects that are in line with these commitments, and seek opportunities for education, critique and evaluation to constantly improve. This underpins the above values of humility and responsibility, and bolsters accountability.
Our work, guided by the above values, is:
Intersectional;
Anti-racist;
Decolonial;
Based on collective action;
Intergenerational; and
Driven by critical hope and collective care.