Latest news with #Sharples
Scoop
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Why tā moko should never be dismissed as 'scribbles'
Tā moko should never be referred to as 'scribbles', a Māori academic says following comments made in Parliament by NZ First leader Winston Peters. Paora Sharples, haka expert and Māori Studies professional teaching fellow at the University of Auckland, said moko, and particularly moko kanohi, carries deep cultural and spiritual weight in te ao Māori. "Tā moko plays a huge part within te ao Māori. It represents our history, our whakapapa, our knowledge. It's a key to our very identity and our existence." "When you make decisions around getting a kauae moko, it's not something you do lightly. It often involves years of learning, years of wānanga, and searching for identity to find out who you are." Sharples said the decision to mau moko often involved in-depth discussions with whānau members and practitioners of the art of tāmoko. "Those are kaupapa that could go over years," he said. "Tā moko is a physical representation of who you are, how you see yourself, and the very journey you've undertaken to get to this point." "So when you realise how meaningful it is to people that wear it, and then you have comments like that, oh, it's really disheartening." During the debate on the suspension of Te Pāti Māori MPs, the NZ First leader referred to co-leader Rawiri Waititi as "the one in the cowboy hat" with "scribbles on his face." Peters later withdrew the comment and was made to apologise by the Speaker of the House. Sharples said his initial reaction to the comment was one of disappointment. "My reaction to it was pretty sad…that a leader in Parliament would have derogatory comments like that," he said. "I know in the chambers of Parliament you're there to debate, and often you say things you might regret afterwards, but that was said by him, and once you say it, it's out there." He said referring to Waititi's mataora as "scribbles" revealed more about the minister's disconnection from his own culture than it did about those who wear it. "I think mainly, perhaps, it's not about us really. I think that says more about Winston. It's a reflection of where he is, how distant he is from his own culture and his own people," he said. "He's spent over 50 years in Parliament and he knows that world well. But it's a pity he doesn't know his culture and his people as well as he knows Parliament." Backlash from te ao Māori 'swift and powerful' In response to Peters comments, te ao Māori took to social media to post proud images of their moko, using phrases like 'my moko is not scribbles.' That message also appeared centre stage at the recent Tāmaki Hakangāhau event in Tāmaki Makaurau. "We had haka about those comments," Sharples said, who is also a senior haka leader with Te Rōpū Manutaki. "Some of the leaders who spoke between items talked about it as well. Kapa haka is a vibrant way we discuss the things that affect us." Sharples said the backlash from te ao Māori was both "swift and powerful." A message from te ao haka Auckland-based rōpū Te Poho o Hinekahukura dedicated an entire item to Peters, with their leader Jeff Ruha delivering a message directly to him: "Kei kōnei ngā te ao moko e ora tonu ana ki runga i a tātou." The world of moko is here, it is still alive upon us. "Winston Peters, the moko runs down my face, into my veins, moumou tō toto Māori." "Ehara tēnei he 'scribbles', e mana kei roto i taku moko." This is not scribbles - there is mana within my moko. "So a challenge to everyone here - moko te ao. Grab your moko, hei hoa matenga mōu." Let your moko be your companion until death. Reclaiming taonga Over the years, colonial influences and misconceptions have clouded the understanding of moko, leading to hesitations among those seeking to reclaim their taonga. Sharples said the resurgence of Māori identity and pride had taken decades of effort. "Since colonisation, we were given a new identity, a different worldview. Especially in the last 50 years, we've been crawling our way back - getting our culture, our language, our arts, our heritage back in whatever way possible." "These moments show how far we've come. But they also show that the fight isn't over." While he acknowledged the comment was made in "the heat of battle," Sharples said leaders must take responsibility for their words. "He's a Māori leader who has a responsibility of speaking on behalf of people," he said. "You have to be careful of what you an example of what can happen. And we've seen the backlash from Māori." Sharples said this could be a turning point in how Aotearoa sees moko and Māori expression more broadly. "At the end of the day, these discussions are who we are. They're our history. And once we've had them, we can move forward." In a statement to RNZ, NZ First leader Winston Peters did not directly address his use of the word 'scribbles', but instead criticised Te Pāti Māori. "Every Māori who understands tradition, respect, and heritage understands that it is not a right for anyone to decide for themselves one day to have a traditional tamoko tattoo," he said. "We now have a bunch of radical cultural elitists in the Māori Party who are claiming to represent all of Maoridom and think by wearing tamoko they have a monopoly of thought over all of our representation." "Pointing out the shallowness of their thinking is not racist, nor is it a reflection on any Māori in New Zealand - it is in fact the opposite." Peters said he was proud of his Ngāti Wai heritage and his Tainui connection. "And all of my ancestors who have worn traditional tamoko that have been rightly bestowed upon them - and I always have been. That is why I have fought for, and so often succeeded for, justifiable Māori causes, and have done more for Māori than all of those critics all put together." He said he was also proud of his European ancestry and all of their culture that they had given him.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Alma Gold Announces Business Update, Appointment of New Director, and Provides Update on Private Placement
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 9, 2025) - Alma Gold Inc. (CSE: ALMA) ("Alma Gold" or the "Company") wishes to provide an update on its mining interests in Guinea following recent revocation of numerous gold, bauxite, diamond, and graphite exploration and exploitation permits in the Republic of Guinea. Update on Permits Alma Gold initially held five permits for its Karita West Project. Early reconnaissance work determined that two permits —Permit 22926 (Arrêté 2259) and Permit 23130 (Arrêté 1692) — did not present viable gold prospects and were not renewed as part of standard exploration procedures, unrelated to recent government revocations. Extensive exploration, including termite mound sampling and pitting, was conducted on the three remaining Karita West permits. Upon reaching the legal renewal period, and following a standard 50% surface reduction, Alma Gold applied to renew its two most promising permits — Permit 22718 (Arrêté 6159) and Permit 22717 (Arrêté 6160)-while postponing renewal of the third — Permit 22925 (Arrêté 2258) - due to results and financial constraints. These applications remain pending. Permit 22925 (Arrêté 2258) was subsequently revoked by the Guinean government after being identified as deficient in exploration work and designated for relinquishment. Alma Gold is currently in discussions with local authorities regarding potential reinstatement of the permit and will continue to evaluate its options prior to pursuing renewal. The Company understands its two main permits at Karita West remain in good standing as are its four Dialakoro permit applications, which are awaiting the signature of the Guinean Minister of Mines. If required, the Company will take every step necessary to protect its mining interests. The Company remains highly committed to both the exploration and development of its existing Guinean assets and the acquisition of further permits. The Company's overall objective is to build a land position of high-quality permits in Guinea. Appointment of Matthew Sharples as a Director of the Company On June 6th, 2025, the board of directors of the Company (the "Board") appointed Mr. Matthew Sharples as a director or the Company. Matthew Sharples is a mining professional with over 20 years of experience in mine development, investment consulting and M&A. Mr. Sharples is the CEO of Asara Resources Ltd., and was previously co-founder and CEO of the private mining fund Sycamore Mining. Sycamore Mining's flagship asset, the Kiniero Mine in Guinea, was sold to Robex Resources Inc. in 2022 for a project valuation of US$160M. Mr. Sharples holds an MSc in Basin Evolution and Dynamics, Royal Holloway, University of London, United Kingdom, and a BSc in Geology, University of Durham, United Kingdom. Greg Isenor, President and CEO of Alma Gold stated that the appointment of Mr. Sharples to the Board adds tremendously to the ability of Alma Gold moving forward in building a high-priority land position in this area of Guinea. "We are extremely pleased to have Matt join our Board and draw on his knowledge and exploration experience in the Siguiri Basin," said Isenor. Private Placement The Company is pleased to announce that it anticipates closing its previously announced private placement for aggregate gross proceeds of up to $1.0 million on June 12th, 2025 (the "Private Placement"). The Company anticipates that certain insiders, including Mr. Sharples, Director (collectively, the "Insiders") will be subscribing under the Private Placement. Such participation will constitute a "Related Party Transaction" within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holdings in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101") but the Company anticipates it will be exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 as neither the fair market value of the securities to be issued to the Insiders nor the consideration paid for such securities are anticipated to exceed 25% of the Company's market capitalization. About Alma Gold Inc. Alma Gold Inc. is a gold-focused exploration company based in Bedford, Nova Scotia. Alma Gold Inc. through its subsidiary Karita Gold Corp. is exploring the Karita West Project in northern Guinea, the Dialakoro project permits under application in the Siguiri Basin of Guinea and it owns the Clarence Stream North Gold Project in southwest New Brunswick, Canada. For more information on Alma Gold Inc., please visit our website at: On Behalf of the Board of Directors,Gregory IsenorPresident & Chief Executive Officer, and Director, Alma Gold Inc. Email: gpisenor@ 1 (604) 687-2038 The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Neither the CSE nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements regarding the Government of Guinea's intent to revoke certain exploration and exploitation permits; the Company's intent and ability to protect or maintain its Guinean mining assets; participation of Insiders in the Private Placement; the anticipated closing date of the Private Placement; and the Company's exploration plans and objectives. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, events or developments to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation: risks related to establishing title to mineral properties and assets including permitting, development, and operations; the Government of Guinea's ability to revoke the Company's permits; success of the Company's permit applications; the Company's ability to defend its rights and investment in its projects; changes in economic, market and business conditions, including fluctuations in commodity prices and investor sentiment; unanticipated expenses or liabilities; and risks disclosed in the Company's public disclosure documents, including those filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at Forward-looking information is based on management's reasonable assumptions, estimates, expectations, analyses and opinions as of the date of this news release, including assumptions that: the Company will be able to maintain its Guinean mining interests and that the Private Placement will proceed to closing. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
CBC
05-03-2025
- General
- CBC
3 years after B.C. village's resident peacocks disappeared, new sightings have locals talking
Social Sharing The reported sighting of two young peacocks in Naramata, B.C., has residents buzzing about the possible return of the exotic birds to the Okanagan community, which has a storied history with the colourful creatures. For decades, peacocks roamed freely in the village on the shores of Okanagan Lake, 20 kilometres north of Penticton, capturing the attention of locals and visitors alike. But in 2022, the last two resident peacocks disappeared, believed to have been killed by bobcats, marking the end of the birds in the community. Now, a photo of what appears to be one of two young male peacocks spotted near Naramata's downtown area has sparked excitement and curiosity among residents, reigniting conversations about the birds' place within the community—and the mystery of how they arrived back in the village. "There's lots of excitement," said longtime resident and musician Yanti Sharples, who first saw the news on a community Facebook group. "They were dropped somewhere downtown. They're roaming around, checking out the place, seeing if they want to hang out." Resident Jordie Graham posted a photo on the page of a peacock perching on a utility line. Graham told CBC News his son had taken the picture and spotted a second bird as well. Dozens of people have commented on the post about the peacock sighting, many expressing delight about the possible return of birds to the community. For at least 20 years, up until early 2022, a group of peafowl roamed freely in Naramata. A peahen that bore chicks each year increased the numbers, according to Sharples. Around 2010, someone removed the peahen and her chicks from the village, leaving three adult male birds in the village. Their loud, distinctive squawk could be heard throughout the town, and the birds delighted residents and visitors with their colourful fan tails, on full display. Not everyone was happy about living with roaming peacocks, according to Sharples, who remembers the birds perching on parked cars, sometimes scratching the paint, and chasing after the municipal garbage truck every Thursday as it made its weekly route through town. "There are two sides of the argument. Some people love them. Some people don't," Sharples said. "They can be a menace, they really can. But they are also beautiful and amazing and made themselves known in the village. They would come out." Residents affectionately named the birds, but in January 2022, the last two peacocks, known to many as Kevin and Peter, disappeared. It's believed the peacocks were killed off by wild bobcats. Sharples remembers that as a sad time for the community, during the height of the pandemic with public health orders restricting people from gathering. She composed a spoken word piece and invited her neighbour to contribute to the piece with their photos of the peacocks. But now, after a three-year void of peacock-squawking, Sharples and others in Naramata are hoping the birds spotted in town will stay. "I mean, always, they spark art and creativeness. There's lots of murals and artwork and photographs," she said. The sighting also begs the question of how the peacocks arrived. "That's the big question mark with back then and now. Who is bringing these peacocks to the village?" She asked.
