THE PREMENSTRUAL RAG-Keeping You Up With The Latest Otautahi (ChCh) Anarcha-Feminist Group to be formed in May An Anarcha-fem group is to be formed very soon (yeah). No longer will the Katipo Collective be the only AF group in NZ,Contact Gaye ph (03) 3749171 -------------------------------------------------- Spiders on the Moon - Katipo Collective Out and About November 25, 1994 Reclaim the Night March - Marking International Day Against Violence Against Women. The March and the Rally afterwards was everything one could want and more. About 300 women participated but it wasnt the numbers that mattered. It was the general buzz, the stiltwalkers, the noise and the hype. Women met at the Cenotaph. They bought the ir friends, children and banners. Jac Lynch inspired and fired us up by giving us a demo on self-defense. Then we marched down suit straight, Lambton Quay to Civic Square. In the Square we lit candles and listened to speakers. The finale to the night was a set by the HAGS who danced in lycra bags and spun fire sticks. The March was organised by a group of individuals who met over about 3 months prior to the march. All aspects apart from the posters were donated. Money to pay for the posters was ge nerated by a bucket collection during the march. -------------------------------------------------- March 3.1995 Delegation to the Mexican Embassy 10 people (3 anarcha-feminists!)concerned about the recent army crackdown on the people of Chiapas, Southern Mexico, visited the Mexican Embassy hoping to present our concerns to the Ambassador. We were told that we really should have made an appointment cos hes a really busy man. We voiced an opinion that collective experience had shown, that often (lame) excuses are made if one tries to go through that channel. However a meeting was made for the Friday when 3 people presented the Ambassador with Amnest y International documents as well as email directly from the Zapatista National Liberation. -------------------------------------------------- March 17 1995 Ofelia Lopez speaks in Wgtn El Salvadoran feminist community worker spoke about El Salvador. Among other things she spoke about grassroots education programmes and the cult of Machismo. While the situation for women is different here in A otearoa what she had to say spoke volumes for the effectiveness of woman centred collectives and a common feminist vision. -------------------------------------------------- March 18 1995 Gay and Lesbian Fair in Newtown,Wellington. A sunny autumn day and great bargains. Val and Rozy sold lots of gingerbread dykes. Johanna got to sell some A.F. literature too. -------------------------------------------------- March 20 1995 Womens Loan Fund Dinner Wellington The women of the fund spoke about the uniqueness of the concept - a womans Angel bank, although technically theyre not supposed to call themselves a bank. The big boys get annoyed. Some success stories were also shared. -------------------------------------------------- Those Filthy Hags Devotion the Wellington Lesbian and Gay Pride Week , included many events as well the more prominent Devotion Parade and the Devotion Party. It was as glamourous and 'out' as ever. This year Lesbians and Bisexuals from 'Those Filthy Hags' - the Anarcha-fe minist group, flaunted their woman loving selves. They were grungey, spangley and gorgeous, the epitomy of your average modern day progressive green tongued woman. Their message was loud and proud, they were "women who just love women". The Party Devotion dance party '95 was held at the town hall - a very high profile venue for such a queer event. Now that dykes, gays and bisexuals are somewhat more socially acceptable I guess they thought they'd let us! But remember this celebration of queerness is for straights too. One problem that arose from this was that the space became less safe. Lesbians were sexually harassed by het men. It seems really horrid to me that we can't enjoy safety in our own (limited) spaces. Not being aware of this going on o n the night I had a great night dancing, flaunting and gaping at the amazing array of dazzling costumes (eat your heart out Priscilla). A great way to celebrate our varied selves and raise money for our queer communities. NION- Not in our Name - Tau-Iwi group against the fiscal envelope Honouring the Treaty ? Do you ever feel like you support the concept but do little on the action side of things ? Let's face it, it's easy as a Pakeha to verbally agree with Treaty rights but challenging white racism and taking responsibility as inheritor s of Treaty promises is another step. Anarcha-feminists raised the issue of how anarcha-feminists can support Maori sovereignty at the '95 Anarcha-Feminist Conference. Shortly afterwards the first meeting of non-Maori against the fiscal envelope happened giving us a chance to be active in a group wotking specifically on this issue. We decided to call ourselves Not In Our Name (N.I.O.N) - A coalition of Tau-iwi (non-Maori) against the fiscal envelope and for honouring the Treaty. The aims of NION are: 1. To take responsibility for Treaty of Waitangi promises as Tauiwi inheritors of these promises. 2. To actively challenge all levels of Government legislation and policies which breach or fail to honour Treaty promises. 3. To voice our view that the Government or any other representative body is not acting in our name unless it gives effect to the Treaty. 4. To educate Tauiwi about the revelance of the Treaty to us. 5. To challenge Tauiwi to make an active ongoing commitment to the Treaty. 6. To be accountable to Iwi/Maori as appropriate and to minimise any negative impacts our actions on Maori. So far NION has held two protests. The first was focussed on the fiscal envelope and held outside the "justice" department . A statement was given to the Race Relations office to explain our position. The second was a symbolic 'occupation' of Midland Park in support of Whanganui Maori at Moutoa Gardens. Information about our group and the Whanganui occupation was handed out to the lunchtime congregation of suits and lots of money was raised to take up to Paakaitore Marae. NION meets weekly at the People's Resource Centre in Wellington on Thursdays at 5.30pm. New members are welcome . -------------------------------------------------- A plug for equality and Justice for all-Over-load Bureaucratic channels If you're going to write into any government department this year, make sure the one issue you do act on is the Fiscal Envelope. Writing a submission is easy. Head the page with "The following is a submission on the Fiscal Envelope".then underneath write all your views... yeah!. Official instructions for making a submission is that one should, cite the specific proposals booklet there are two, and to "restrict your comments to the booklets and related issues". ( the booklets can be obtained free of charge from Te Puni Kokiri regional offices) However if your not into obtaining the offending booklets inform yourself through old newspapers and looking up Maori media sources. It is an interesting indicator that the round of hui, up and down the country did n ot run smoothly. At one location local Maori refused to take part claiming that the government had already made up it's mind. The hui scheduled for Lower Hutt was postponed because the government sensed that there would be p! roblems with Maori activists (isn't feedback, radical or otherwise, is what the government is trying to promote thru the hui round??!) The government has conceded that more time is needed for people to get their submissions in, the deadline is now 31st A ugust (not the 19th of May). So think about it and send your submission into : Office of Treaty Settlements, Department of Justice, Private Bag 180, Wellington. --------------------------------------------------