Kiingi Tuuheitia’s national challenge: ‘Be Māori all day, every day’

Saturday, 20 January 2024

Iwi Māori across the country have begun charting a renewed pathway in response to the coalition government’s policies and fears they will create race relation flashpoints.

Nearly 10,000 turned out for an historic one-day meeting at Tūrangawaewae Marae in Ngāruawāhia, taking part in robust panel discussions on a range of issues, including the “highly contentious” proposed reforms of the Treaty of Waitangi, national identity, the economy and wellbeing.

Māori Affairs Minister Tama Potaka faced challenges to bring back to the Cabinet table, but batted away criticism about Prime Minister Chris Luxon failing to attend.

Māori would also bring the discussions to the next key political events in the coming weeks - including Rātana and Waitangi celebrations.

Tukoroirangi 'Tuku' Morgan, chair of Te Arataura, the Waikato-Tainui executive board, had a message for the government: “We are sick and tired of being trodden on, demonised and undermined.”

But he wasn’t concerned Luxon did not attend because the day was for Māori to debate and discuss.

Potaka and Northcote MP Dan Bidois represented the coalition government at the hui, but New Zealand First and ACT did not send any MPs.

Potaka would be telling Prime Minister Chris Luxon it was a very positive day, he said.

“It was one that was focused on unifying the country - kotahitanga - but also one where what we will find is there's some constructive messages coming towards us at Rātana, and at Waitangi, and beyond. And certainly this afternoon, I'm sure we'll hear a summary of those messages from the hui and from the King.”

Dayle Takitimu opened the day with a korero where she described the government as “Treaty illiterate”.

“An illiterate white supremacist is a nuisance, and a hōhā (hassle), but an illiterate white supremacist in power is dangerous,” she said.

When asked whether this suggested the coalition government had been labelled a white supremacist one, Potaka said: “I thought that was a surprising claim and possibly premature”.

Former National Prime Minister Dame Jenny Shipley, who spoke on one of the day’s panels, also stood behind Luxon’s commitment to listen to Māori views on his government’s policies.

“He's deeply invested in this conversation,” she said.

“I think he felt this was a conversation where Māori wish to gather together and consolidate their own thinking but also in their different views. And you can see it is a wonderful, rich, deep worthwhile conversation.”

The first weeks of the coalition government were marked by nationwide protests. Shipley conceded its policies have been a “trigger”.

“But the new government is offering Māori many opportunities to engage as well as some of the things that are frustrating. I think that the charter school possibilities for Māori are extraordinarily rich if they were keen to get themselves aligned.”

Kiingi Tuuheitia, speaking at the end of the hui, pushed for peace and unity.

He suggested the Treaty should stay as it is.

“There’s no principles, the Treaty is written. That’s it,' he said.

“Mana motuhake is ours, it will last forever.”

“What I want is for the Treaty to be enclosed in the law which means [governments] can’t change nothing… Be who we are, live our values, speak our reo, care for our mokopuna, our awa, our maunga, just be Māori… Māori all day, everyday.”