Guest Column from Hone Harawira: Ae Marika!

Ae Marika!

Waitangi was different this year – different but cool. Apart from the boys jumping the Prime Minister, these last couple of years have been relatively stable, and with the Minister of Maori Affairs bringing in the army to help out with the kai, we’re getting to where more positive things can happen at Waitangi in the future.

A group of Tongans and Samoans came on, and on their behalf Josh Liava’a laid down a very interesting challenge. He said that if Maori people had tino rangfatiratanga, then they also had the right to invite whomever they wanted to Aotearoa. An interesting thought, particularly given the fact that immigration has become such a feature of economic life in Aotearoa (and if you don’t believe me, take a walk up Queen St, Auckland on a Friday night!!).

I appreciated the opportunity to be on the taumata when the PM arrived and laid down some ideas about the foreshore and seabed and other topical issues. I also reminded our kaumatua of Waitangi’s proud activist heritage and asked that they always keep a seat for an activist to speak at Waitangi every year – and not me! I’m an MP now; in fact I’m a government MP. The seat should be for somebody free from political affiliations.

I attended quite a few of the sessions at the political forum, which was the best it’s been for years thanks to a lot of hard work from Te Whenua, and which featured wide ranging discussions on Te Wakaputanga me Te Tiriti, iwi v hapu, people v politicians, men against violence, constitutional change and a heap of other issues.

It was also where the Maori flag was formally presented to the people, and after a ceremony featuring speeches about its history and its future, the flag was handed off to Wikatana Popata, who said he was glad to get a new flag for his next occupation.

Malcolm Mulholland of Kenana also launched his book “Weeping Waters” - a series of essays on constitutional issues. Very timely given that the Maori Party has begun a round of hui on constitutional matters, and the fact that the Iwi Leaders Forum had just completed discussions on the very same subject that day. The Maori Party is taking this kaupapa on the road, and I look forward to being part of that roadshow.

I joined the march to the Treaty House and presented the Maori Party’s 3 STEPS to settling the foreshore and seabed debate, to an enthusiastic crowd of 250 people, half of whom were Pakeha, and all of whom greeted the proposal with a round of applause – maybe my suggestions about Maori Title, Inalienability and Full Access ain’t so crazy after all.

Then my first week back in parliament – and it was like nothing had changed. Back in the house on Tuesday, back in trouble on Wednesday, and back home again on Thursday.

I inadvertently presented a bill to entrench the Maori Seats when we’d already agreed NOT TO because the Nats had agreed to our request for a Constitutional Review (which would include the Maori seats) instead. Of course the media tried to play it up as “Hone Harawira, rebel Maori MP is driving a wedge between the Maori Party and National by deliberately breaching the coalition agreement” but the drama died when I laughed it off with the comment “I wish…”

ENDS

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