'Te Tiriti o Waitangi' hui held at Tūrangawaewae Marae, Ngāruawāhia 20 January 2024

National Identity Workshop in Kimiora, Tūrangawaewae Marae, Ngāruawāhia 20 January 2024

I was fortunate to attend the ‘Te Tiriti o Waitangi’ hui called by Kingi Tūheitia at Tūrangawaewae Marae, Ngāruawāhia, this past Saturday, 20 January 2024. It was an historic event and showed, among other things, how the Kīngitanga continues to be an extraordinary institution. Although it has had its ups and downs in recent times, there is no other institution in the Māori world that can call for and host such a hui. The Rātana Church is an extraordinary institution too and hosts major hui, and recently Te Matatini has become a significant event. However, it is only the Kīngitanga that regularly hosts such large hui bringing the various iwi of the country together.

And it is not just its physical capacities, capabilities and infrastructure that enables it to host hui of this kind. It is also because of the depth and complexity of the relationships it holds with every iwi of the country - even those iwi who ostensibly did not support the Kīngitanga during its establishment (including, and most famously, Ngāpuhi). Every significant iwi of the country was present on Saturday and I doubt that there is another Māori institution or organisation that could have achieved such an attendance. Ko te mana o te rangatira, he whakahuihui i te iwi; ko te mana o te ariki, he kī tahi, ka rongo ai te tini, te mano, ka manaakitia, ka takatū. Congratulations to the Kīngitanga and King Tūheitia for hosting this important and successful hui.

I think the most important outcome of the hui was the fact that it took place and that it was attended by so many. It also showed that:
  1. Te Tiriti-o-Waitangi remains as important as ever to the Māori world, it remains sacred to us.
  2. As with previous generations, the Māori world will not sit idly by, will not remain quiet, while proposals of a fundamental nature about Te Tiriti are advanced (particularly proposals that represent an undermining of Māori rights).
  3. The Māori world has the vehicles (ie: the Kīngitanga, and many other vehicles too) and the means by which to take the fight to the Crown/Government. In some ways, the Māori world is better equipped and more prepared than it has ever been (in the past 150 years or so) to advance the cause of Te Tiriti - given the resources now available in Māori communities and the extraordinary consciousness and capabilities of the rangatahi which were amply displayed at the hui. It is clear that a new generation has arrived (Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clark’s recent electoral victory symbolises this rise well) and they are articulate, knowledgeable and committed.
Sir Tipene O`Regan addresses the workshop

For these reasons, the hui was a great success. It was positive in tone and spirit - it was not a ‘moan fest’ filled with victimhood, defensiveness and desperation as some asserted it would be. Instead, it was well organised, iwi prepared excellent recommendations, and criticisms of the Government together with ‘taking a stand for Te Tiriti’ were done in a dignified and orderly fashion. It was an occasion of dignity and mana responding to a Kāwanatanga that looks set to continue its tradition of ignoring and undermining Te Tiriti and its sacred promises - unless certain things change.

Perhaps the only downside of the hui - unavoidable unfortunately - was that it was not possible to hear all the kōrero and attend all the workshops. The programme was jam packed as many excellent speakers were invited to contribute. In the end, I was only able to attend one workshop (concerning National Identity) where we heard from Ngāi Tahu kaumātua and leader Sir Tipene O'Regan (among others). Tā Tipene never fails to be interesting and engaging and, despite his advancing years, he remains articulate and influential. His presence lent considerable mana to the hui. As he always does, he left us with a memorable phrase, which he attributed to Tolstoy: 'History doesn’t repeat itself, it usually rhymes’.

There was something, however, that Sir Tipene said that 'caught my ear' and to which I would like to offer a response. He began by recalling the ‘Tangata Whenua/Tangata Tiriti’ identity formulation which he attributed to the former Governor General Sir David Beattie. Sir Tipene described it as ‘innovative’ and explained that ‘Tangata Whenua’ are those who possess a right to live in Aotearoa and Te Wai Pounamu on the basis that their ancestors were here first (the meaning of the word ‘aboriginal’). He also explained that ‘Tangata Tiriti’ refers to those who enjoy a right to live in our country derived from Te Tiriti-o-Waitangi.

I first heard of the ‘Tangata Whenua/Tangata Tiriti’ formulation while working at Te Papa. It is used extensively there and it has become popular in a host of other contexts too. I like the spirit of this formulation, its essential idea that every one has a right to be here and I support the desire to find ways of unifying people while honouring our diversity. However, I also find it has its problems. The first is the issue of approaching Te Tiriti through the lens of ‘rights’ only. While it is understandable and justifiable that we continue to use ‘rights’ as a tool by which to protect Māori interests and achieve justice, ‘rights’ arises from just one culture represented in Te Tiriti. The culture of tino rangatiratanga can offer mātauranga Māori and tikanga Māori alternatives to ‘rights’ and mana is a good place to start. Additionally, a rights-only approach to the Treaty can assist those who wish to undermine rights - such as in the ACT Party’s current move to define the principles of the Treaty (https://www.act.org.nz/defining-the-treaty-principles). This is because the protection of individual property rights is foundational and sacrosanct to the ACT Party’s worldview (and of the political right generally). ‘Rights’ is an arena that they operate in and are expert, and when we use it for our causes, we need to be aware of this.

Second, defining ‘Tangata Whenua’ as ‘those who were here first’ overlooks enormously the richness of tangata whenuatanga. While longevity of tenure in a particular geographic locality is often an indicator of tangata whenuatanga, in the end, this is not what finally defines ‘being tangata whenua’. Rather, it is a psychological, spiritual, emotional, physical and intellectual orientation to the whenua that defines tangata whenuatanga - the degree to which one’s very humanity, identity and existence is understood and experienced through a passionate, kinship relationship with the natural world. When we say ‘this is my mountain, this is my river’, this is not a mere entertainment or a badge or a label of some kind. Rather, this is a fundamental statement of our humanity. This is why some people can live hundreds of years in one place and still not be tangata whenua or indigenous - for their relationship with the whenua does not contain this psychological, emotional and intellectual orientation and commitment.

Finally, are we not all ‘Tangata Tiriti’? Ancestors of modern day Māori signed Te Tiriti-o-Waitangi and it can be argued that it is Māori, more than anybody else, who can claim to be ‘Tangata Tiriti’. I offer these comments recognising that I am not offering a satisfactory alternative. As I say, I very much support the idea of finding identity expressions that are unifying while honouring and respecting our diversity. However, I suggest we should think further about the Tangata Whenua/Tangata Tiriti formulation for the reasons noted above.

There were many other important things said in the hui - Dayle Takitimu upon the marae ātea exhorting us to understand and embrace deeply the meaning of mana motuhake and tino rangatiratanga; Ngāti Kahungunu's objection to the dismantling of 'Te Mana o te Wai', presented by Bayden Barber; Piripi Winiata's presentation on behalf of the rangatahi forum and Kara Puketapu's presentation on behalf of the Tiriti proposals workshop and much more. The kauwhau by Archbishop Don Tamihere was funny at times and the last word, of course, went to the King who, while urging us to pursue kotahitanga also said, "The best protest to do right now is to be Māori." 

Because of the large number of manuhiri, Tainui waka attendees were asked to sit in 'Te Whareroa', a structure standing next to the Waikato River below the marae ātea. Video screens were erected here so that we could watch and listen to the pōwhiri. These facilities were an example of the excellent arrangements that had been put in place to enable the hui to run smoothly.


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