Photoessay: Seeing the wood for the trees - Ngatihine (John Miller)
May, 2011
A gallery of photographs and news clipping montages compiled by photojournalist John Miller (Ngapuhi) during a 2007/8 research project with the Pacific Media Centre into the Ngatihine forest block controversy in the 1970s.
All images: © John Miller
 The Ngatihine Land/Forestry legal dispute in Northland, New Zealand, in 1976-8 exposed the inabilities of the media at that time to adequately see past cultural ‘blind spots’. © John Miller |
 1. See-saw actions of Ngatihine court orders and appeals. © John Miller |
 2. Detailed logs of Ngatihine telephone conversations. © John Miller |
 3. Mainstream media coverage took for granted the status quo of the Pakeha narrative. © John Miller |
 4. Ngatihine shareholders hold an impromptu meeting after a Māori Land Court session. Kawakawa, Northland, 14 November 1977. © John Miller |
 5. Videographer Darcy Lange about to interview local NHBOC committee member/shareholder, Motatau Shortland. Matawaia Marae, November, 1977. © John Miller |
 6. Shareholders and supporters arrive for a Ngatihine Block Action Committee meeting. Matawaia Marae, 24 June 1978. © John Miller |
 7: The first ceremonial forest planting at Matawaia Marae, late 1981. From left. Dick Kake, Wiremu Coffey, Graham Alexander and Witari Peihopa. © John Miller |
 8. Matawaia Marae vista looking east, 1977. © John Miller |
 9. Matawaia Marae vista looking east, 1977. © John Miller |
 10. The same vista 31 years later in 2008. © John Miller |
 11. The same vista 31 years later in 2008. © John Miller |
 12: A compilation of Robert Jones articles in the 8 O’Clock. © John Miller |
