Nia Glassie

One year on from the sad story of the abused and murdered infant Kahui twins, New Zealand’s news headlines are covered with another story of sickening abuse of a defenceless child, this time three-year old Nia Glassie who was, among other atrocities, apparently put in a clothes dryer and hung on a clothesline for the amusement of her teenage minders.
And yes, again a Maori family is involved. Michael Laws in his column asked why no-one had to guess the ethnicity of the family when the basic facts first hit the news, to which I can only reply that I certainly hadn’t assumed anything of the sort. But, it must be conceded, Laws’ assumptions were proved correct. Once again, all Maori find themselves on trial. Once again, the talkback radio waves will be full of deeply unpleasant condemnations of the “sickness inside Maori culture”, and accusations that this sickness is “sheltered by the political correctness of our liberal society”. (Both quotes are paraphrases from memory of Laws’ column.)
Again, Pita Sharples of the Maori party will have his work cut out for him as the token Voice Of The Maori People in the media, trying to put this in context. Again, it will be hard to get his points about structures of deprivation across in a soundbite media talking to a population unaccustomed to such analysis.
Horrible acts have been committed, and the more I find out about them the more bewildered I become – how could a mother allow her daughter to be treated so? How could any of these teenagers be so persistently violent and callous? – but I fear these questions will be lost in the coming storm of blame at the Maori minority group.
It won’t be pretty. Again.
—
EDIT (14 August): this post continues to pull a lot of traffic, including from a lot of schoolkids who are concerned about what happened to Nia. I should make clear that in this post I tried to say that blame should not be put on Maori people. I disagree very strongly with Michael Laws. You might want to look also at this post and this post, both from a few days later, for more on Nia.

47 thoughts on “Nia Glassie”

  1. Hi Morgue,
    I just finished reading your post on the Kahui Twins – amongst other things, I was wondering – what is “UTU” that is referenced in the comments?

  2. And sure enough, in this morning’s Dominion Post – “Maori shame at abuse of toddler”
    I do like Pita Sharples: “I don’t say that Pakeha have a gene for big business fraud or anything like that … ”

  5. edel: ‘Utu’ is a Maori word which is used in NZ English to mean ‘revenge’, and I think the meaning in Maori is close enough to that (though I’m no expert)

  6. I certainly don’t believe this has anything to do with a “sickness inside Maori culture”. My dad had similar things happen to him when he was a kid, and his foster parents were pakeha. It’s more of a socio-economic group thing.
    And yeah. It’s horrible. :-/

  7. It isn’t supposed to be pretty. Would you prefer that people yawned and said “Oh, well that’s a normal risk of being the child of Maori/minority/poor people [delete as applicable].”
    Children shouldn’t need to be required to survive their family as their first big step in life. There is something wrong.

  9. Edel: yeah, like Matt said. I am not a Maori scholar, but as I understand it Utu is a traditional Maori cultural system of achieving justice through reciprocity; ‘revenge’ captures part of it, but not all. A film about revenge named ‘Utu’ put the word firmly in the NZ lexicon, where it is commonly understood to mean simply ‘revenge’ with massive overtones of barbarism. (The film, by the way, was damn good.)
    R: sterilisation? WTF?
    Steph: agreed that something is very, very wrong here. I am just disturbed by the eagerness with which this is being framed as a cultural issue, and used as an excuse to bring out the nasty bigotry that lurks not far from the surface in our national discourse.

  11. Because an ethnic group makes for an easier to understand target than socio-economic factors, and the general public, bless ’em, are always desperate to find a simple answer. And when it’s one which plays on prejudices they’ve been fed all along, well, all the better to understand you with my dear. Especially when it means they don’t have to cast an inclusive look at society.
    It’s tough. It makes me angry that people get these attitudes, but then people base these attitudes on a combination of ignorance and what they get fed in the media. I come from a family with no shortage of this kind of racist attitude. There’s nothing malicious in it, just sheer ignorance.

  12. I studied the concept of Utu in my Maori Customary Law paper at uni. Utu formed one of the foundations of the Maori legal system prior to the arrival of the common law within NZ. Utu, as I understand it, goes beyond simple revenge, and extends to the level of an obligation to seek payment upon others for their wrongdoing. Something like an obligatory revenge. Thus, if a ‘crime’ was committed, Utu required that the crime be balanced out by seeking payment from the crime’s perpetrator.
    Suffice it so say, payment could be brutal.

  13. I studied the concept of Utu in my Maori Customary Law paper at uni. Utu formed one of the foundations of the Maori legal system prior to the arrival of the common law within NZ. Utu, as I understand it, goes beyond simple revenge, and extends to the level of an obligation to seek payment upon others for their wrongdoing. Something like an obligatory revenge. Thus, if a ‘crime’ was committed, Utu required that the crime be balanced out by seeking payment from the crime’s perpetrator.
    Suffice it so say, payment could be brutal.

  14. While this thread has taken a much more intellectual course, I thought I would just mention that my “sterilisation solution” (or rather punishment) was not really meant as anything other than a facetious extreme reaction to these kind of events. It was not aimed at any particular group of people other than those who can abuse their children like this.
    When so many couples find it hard to conceive or have children at all, it seems unjust that those blessed with children can treat them so. White, black, whatever the colour or cultural background – treating one’s own children like that or allowing them to be treated that way… I just can’t understand it.

  15. I don’t think it’s a Maori thing – systematic child abuse occurs when people aren’t taught that this behaviour is inappropriate, abhorrent and unacceptable. They haven’t been taught to respect themselves and other people, that every human life is sacrosanct. They didn’t see that child as a person – they saw her as an object. I suspect from the news today that some form of Utu was undertaken on the male offenders who turned up to court with what appeared to be black eyes. What should be made to happen is restorative justice – they should be made to be caregivers to this child, made to see her injuries everyday and take care of her, to see her as a human being.

  16. I agree that it is not just a Maori problem, but there must be more being done with regard to holding people responsible for their actions. I don’t think that the sentencing is harsh enough

  19. this is like a story with a very sad ending..first it was the kahui twins now it’s poor three year old nia glassie….the caregivers deserve punishment i reckon straight up to put this little innocent gawjuz girl in a tumble dryer then pegged on a clothes line and been spun around like a mary go round i mean who does that???if they dont know how to treat there own then whats the point of having kids when they dont know how to treat them i am very digusted by the behaviour of the caregivers…WTF??? man who does that????throws there own in the tumble dryer they deserve big punishment…

  20. I am so sick of hearing in the news and on t.v that child abuse is a maori cultural thing because it isn’t, it’s not even a poverty thing. Being maori myself I was never abused and neither was any of my family and I grew up poor and my parents gave their all to my brother and I so we could have all the things that they didn’t. I understand that being a single parent on the benefit is hard but like hell I would let anyone harm my babies and hurt them emotionally/mentally/physically. I wish that people would stop generalising things and pidgeon holing cultures because NOT every maori family treats their childrean like that infact most maori families the children are the next generation and are well looked after.

  21. My brother and I are Maori. When I was born my mother was 15 and my father was 18, four years later came my little brother. As young as they were my parents brought us up with alot of love, some discpline, an emphasis on education, on a budget and with a strong sense of our place in the family. They took full responsibility for our wellbeing. They continue to assist us to bring our children up the same way. My point being that my financially challenged, teenaged, educationally limited, MAORI parents did not abuse us in any way. I believe it is the way we are taught to parent and the the level of responsiblity we are taught to have for our children that will ensure their safety not necessarily more money.

  22. I don’t beleive that ethnicity is a barrier to abusing children- I think that pakeha people are abusing their children also, but their children are not the ones who are being murdered. What I don’t understand is…why is Nia’s mother not being charged also, she had to have seem the bruises or even the way that Nia acted around these monsters. Why did she continue to leave her daughter in their care, I cannot fathom this. I have two children who are by no means angels (is there really a perfect child) who push the limits continually but even at their worst, NO CHILD ever deserves to be treated the way Nia was treated. I have read that those monsters have said they did this to her because she wet her pants, she was only 3 years old. And I can’t beleive a 17 year girl was involved. It disgusts me…How can we protect our kids from this?

  23. I am doing my speech on this and to be honest it is incredibly hard to find a GOOD solution that will work every which and way……..I think we shouldnt be blaming the Moari but you must admit it is 60% of kids who get abused are by Moari but remember we did some of that!! We have to work togeher to stop this and if we keep saying they did it No they did it then we wont get anywhere!
    Thanks
    11 year old Jamie

  24. There also seems to be an over representation of step parents involved in this type of abuse.

  25. Hi M. Heard last night the family asking why the media called them Maori when they are Cook Island. Doesn’t change what happened, but..
    M>

  26. Dear Morgue,
    I think it is really great that you have put up sites for Nia Glassie. Our class is writig speeshes and me and a couple of friends are looking into the case of Nia Glassie. BUT unfortunely our Maori students think tht it is unappropriate for people to say that it is mostly maoris who abuse children i think thts what you call rase. But we all hope that Nia REST IN PEACE.

  28. This recent article on Stuff suggests Nia’s father is Cook Islands.
    “Nia’s paternal family welcomed around 150 people from Te Arawa, the tribe of three of her accused abusers, to the funeral in Tokoroa’s St Luke’s Community Centre.
    The funeral drew on the Cook Islands culture of Nia’s father, Glassie Glassie Junior, and most aspects of the service were identical to a Maori tangi.”
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/4155203a11.html

  29. People should get off the subject of race and concentrate with what is really important . Finding a way in which to protect children (of all races) from abuse.Bring back Plunket and Public Health services to monitor a childs development and well being at least until they are 5 years old. At least then there would be someone other than family keeping and eye on them.Its not a solution, but at least its a start.

  30. nia glassie sooo cute… soo sad that she was taking from the world in such a cruel way……..our school stood on the road for 3 mins in silence on the 8th of august at 12.12 pm and i dont really think that anyone should be blaming maoris (E.G and yes it was another maori family).jus because one family made a mistake it doesnt mean that all maoris are bad…. this death is soo sad and a sad loss R.I.P baby nia… hope your in a better place oxoxox i like eden and mykah they are kewl

  31. Nia Glassie, soo kute…its so sad that your life was taken at such an early time in your life, u didnt deserve anything that happend 2 u…just thort i mite tell u, my class ran outside on the 8th of august at 12 past 12 for 3 minutes of silence in your honour…i know i didnt even no u but my love goes out to you xox may u rest in heaven forever and may the people that abused you rot in hell…
    much love
    Eden xoxoxoxox

  32. nia glassie is so0 cute and huever killed her desereves to rot in hell….
    r.i.p nia hope your in a happy place now…x.x.o.o
    mykah enckevort
    opotiki college, bay of plenty

  33. JSUt tOo puT soMEthiiNG KLEAR to yoo..!!
    jUST bekAUSE iiT waS a MAorii FAMiiLY does NOt meaN yoO kaN blamE iiT on THE maORii RAce..
    iiT iiS tHE paRENts AN kaREGiiVERS tHAt DOne iiT tOo HER tOo BlaME iiT on THEM noT a whOle RACE..
    ii AM a MaORii And VERY proUD nOne OV my whaNAu And EXTENded WHAnau WOUld DO suCH a THiinG tOo A beaUTiiFUl YOunG baBY.!!
    so GET off the fact that they were maoris iits not about the race iits about the abusers themselvez..
    II am A memBER of OPotiiKii KOllleGE and WE are Not HAppY tHAT yoO HAve SAyd ThaT iiT waS maORiiZ..
    ii Am VERY saD abOUT whaT haPPenD toO baBy niiA aND the PEOple thAT doNE iiT deserVE tOo DiiE aND roT iiN heLL..!!
    R.I.P baBY niiA
    mUch LoVE
    taela mccormack
    opotiki college eastern bay of plenty

  34. No longer in our lives to play but in our heart you will always stay
    !!R.I.P BABY NIA!!
    !!(“v”)!!
    xxoxxo
    Opotiki College; Eastern Bay Of Plenty.

  35. 3rd of august a sad day nia glassie sadly died in star ship hospital aafter a run in with child abuse….. nia glassie was sooo cute and the things that she went through was soo hard to hear… i was sitting at home at 6.00pm watching the news wen i saw baby nia on screen … she was in hospital after being really beaten up …… straight away i thought who would ever do that to there child…… and i thought of my young neice and i would never hurt her ……… just becuse this happened to a young maori and her step-father was responsible another maori but it doesnt mean that all maoris are bad……..
    REST IN PEACE BABY NIA YOUR IN MY HEART FOREVA OXOXOOXOXOX

  36. What you have just said is not only low on every different level but that is also rascist. You shouldn’t go judging an abuse case on what type of ethnicity the abusers are. Yes, they were Maori people and I am deeply ashamed about both child abuse cases and what these Maori people have done to their beautiful pepi, but we are not all like that. My whanau(Immediate and extended), are very loving, caring people. They have been brought up well and know never to touch a child like that. I can gaurantee that most people are like that and because these people weren’t they have become like this.
    I give my deepest condolences to both of the whanau that had their child taken away from them and all the Aroha in the world to everyone else who has been a victim of child abuse.
    R.I.P Niia Glassiie and the Kahuii twiin’sZ..
    ..yOu wiwl beii Mii’sZd Cutey’sZ..
    Mwaa!!
    xO
    fwOm Ord’sZ iin Whangarei
    xO

  37. it makes me feel sick and so sad to hear that these things are happening to our chidren! Why didn’t anyone know what was happening to these children. With Nia a lot of abuse happened outside didn’t it? Wia were the neighbours? Why didn’t someone in their lives not take any action and why is her aunty condeming her sister when her son is one of the accused? How could her mother not know and if she did why didn’t she care! ALL THE NEW ZEALAND PUBLIC AND PARLIMENT need to wake up and take action we’re supposed to protect these precious treasures not bury them before their lives have even begun!

  38. i agree that not all Maori families would hurt their children but you have to look at the statistics. most of the people who do are Maori. we need to put more support and help in and actually get off our arse and do something before another innocent child dies or gets hurt. it is wrong and untill someone does something, nothing will change. i have been in foster care and the majority of kids were Maori yet everyone wants to defend them. i know alot are good and have friends who are, but statistics say not all are.

  39. No longer in our lives to play but in our heart you will always stay
    !!R.I.P BABY NIA!!
    !!(“v”)!!
    xxoxxo
    ROTORUA GUWLs’Z HiiGH SKEWL!!!

  40. I just want to say that it is not a fact that moari r abusers more than anyone else in the world so u should just fukn shut your mouths

  41. hey hey hey i am MaOrI AnD vErY pRoud 2 b 1 AND I DONT LIKE DA PEEPS WHO KILED BABY NIA S0O0O0O SADD DAY DESERVE 2 GO TO PRISON LIL MUNGRILZZ

  42. baby nia is s0o cute whoeva woz her parents were s0o stupid dat day killed da most butafulist fing on earth and dat woz baby nia i hope u r happy now and dont shed no tearszzz!!!!!!!!MwAh! x0x0

  46. i feel for Nia and her sisters, how they witnessed everything!!!
    shame on the mother and that stupid 17 year old boy…they didnt care about hwe!!! ithink that when the mother was on tv3 news i think that she was acting

  47. What a waste of a precious life…Beautiful Gorgeous adorable(to name a few) was/is Nia Glassie.Those who did what they did to Nia..ROT IN HELL.Whatever comes your way you deserve it!!May you all suffer slowly that includes the so-called mother who was suppose to protect her little bubba.She chose sex over her little girl,and with a teenager,SICK WOMAN.
    Nia,you are in a safer and better place sleep well ANGEL.

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