The limits, constraints and possibilities for Pakeha committed to a Treaty based future

Network Waitangi Otautahi; Christchurch

Hone Harawira, Member of Parliament for Tai Tokerau
Wednesday 9 May 2007

There is a Chinese proverb which says: A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials.

In this land of glistening pounamu, this land which has experienced many challenges in settlement since the first meeting between Ngai Tahu and Pakeha sealers and whalers way back in the 1700s; I am sure that there have been many experiences of friction which have shaped the journey towards a Treaty based future.

I welcome the opportunity to spend some time with Network Waitangi Otautahi, to celebrate the gems that we recognize as treaty educators; and to add a little friction to keep our conversation dynamic.

And can I start by saying that it would be as right and proper for me to tell you what your limits, constraints and possibilities are, as it would be for you to come to my marae and tell me what’s right for Maori.

Folks – the work of Pakeha committed to a Treaty based future can only be determined by Pakeha, and believe me, on thistake, it’s work which has a long and fraught history.

At parliament I have access to the words like those of Hori Kerei Taiaroa, Member for Southern Maori, who said in Parliament on 21 October 1878:
“These are the things which divide the Māoris from the Europeans. They feel that the promises made by the Europeans have not been fulfilled, while all that the Māori have promised has been fulfilled”.
My role tonight is to focus on the promises of the Treaty, and how the descendants and beneficiaries of those Treaty signatories can work together to honour them.
As a son of the many tribes of Ngapuhi Nui Tonu my life has always been tied to Waitangi, the expectations of my tupuna in 1840, and the fight for Treaty rights which continues to this day.
• It is through that whakapapa that I stood alongside my whananunga of Ngati Whatua to reclaim Bastion Point.
• It is through that whakapapa that I led the Waitangi Action Committee, to fight for recognition for Treaty rights.
• It is through that whakapapa that I led the Kotahitanga hikoi from Turangawaewae to Waitangi.
• It is through that whakapapa that I led the Kawariki from Te Rerenga Wairua to Waitangi.
• It is through that whakapapa that I led the Foreshore and Seabed Hikoi from Te Rerenga Wairua to Whanganui a Tara.
• It is through that whakapapa that every Waitangi Day I return to Te Tii, to honour the memory and the commitments made by my Ngapuhi tupuna who were there to sign the treaty in 1840.

They sat in congress at Tau Rangatira, deliberating and considering the best course of action to protect our rights. They called the Treaty o Waitangi a covenant – a sacred foundation for our nation.

They considered the promise of protection of our rights which included:
• our constitutional status as tangata whenua;
• our sovereign authority over our lands, our forests, our fisheries and other treasures; and
• our rights to equality with British citizens.
So we knew what we were signing up to. The question of course is - did you?
You know, in the House of Representatives, you can’t use the pronoun you, because by bringing the Speaker into debate, you are deemed to be contrary to the standing orders and bring the House into disrepute.
And maybe that’s the crunch issue when thinking about the limits, constraints and possibilities for Pakeha committed to a Treaty based future – how are you involved?

When I go to Waitangi, I know I am at the birthplace of our nation.

It’s kind of like the feeling that comes with the rights and responsibilities and obligations that come with being a father and a granddad.
You know you have a role to play in caring for your whanau and in providing for their future, in giving them a good start in life, in protecting their rights, in helping them to see the many opportunities they have, in helping them to see their obligations to all those around them, and in ensuring they enjoy life as equal citizens of Aotearoa.
Because Te Tiriti o Waitangi gave birth to a nation in which Pakeha have a unique and special status.
Ani Mikaere, in the 2004 Bruce Jesson lecture, said:
"When you think about it, there is nowhere else in the world that one can be Pakeha. Whether the term remains forever linked to the shameful role of oppressor or whether it can become a positive source of identity and pride is up to Pakeha themselves. All that is required from them is a leap of faith."

Andso while we are thinking about a leap of faith, I want to share two ideas that the Maori Party has been considering about how we might achieve the changes needed to honour the leap of faith our ancestors took in signing the treaty way back in 1840.
THE TREATY COMMISSIONER
We believe, as did former Prime Minister, the late Rt Hon David Lange, that the Treaty is not the cause of the conflicts and friction that have characterized our relationship as Treaty partners. Indeed the Treaty should stand as our “most powerful unifying symbol”.

It provides the foundation for uniting diverse cultures, for weaving together different ethnic strands, and for encouraging people to recognise the value that other cultures bring to Aotearoa.

And so we put forward the idea of a Treaty Commissioner – someone to help us all refocus on the aspirations of those who have gone before us, someone whose job would be:
• to honour the vision of those who signed the Treaty;
• to promote the Treaty’s commitment to partnership;
• to support Maori rights to control and authority over their treasures;
• to ensure that Waitangi Day is meaningful to all citizens of Aotearoa;
• to review any decision made in respect of the Treaty by government;
• to raise awareness and understanding of the Treaty;
• to be an advocate for the Treaty; and
• to promote the proper application of the Treaty in legislation.
Our nation needs a Treaty Commissioner to deal with the damage done to the Treaty’s status over the past few years in particular, including:
• Government’s removal of the Treaty from the school curriculum
• Government’s downgrading of Treaty specifications in health contracts;
• Government selling land still under Treaty claim
• Government reneging on land that should have been offered back under the Public Works Act, or preserved under a protection mechanism
• Proposals to delete Treaty references which have been the most positive advances in building a Treaty relationship since the establishment of the Waitangi Tribunal and the Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975

Pat Sneddon talks about moving from the “Treaty truth-telling’ generation, to the “treaty fulfilment generation”. He says that the best way to resolve article two rights is that

“If Maori are appropriately resourced and collectively agree to take ownership of the problem caused by historical social and cultural dislocation, the chances of an enduring solution increase exponentially”.

Establishing a Treaty Commissioner is an idea I announced on Waitangi Day this year, as part of our commitment to an enduring solution to the nation’s treaty difficulties.
Getting it through parliament will take a lot of lobbying, primarily with Pakeha politicians; that of course is a campaign that groups like yours would be ideally suited to, and we would welcome your efforts towards making this a reality.
We would also be really keen to see what other contribution groups like yours could make to the debate.
THE MĀORI VERSION

The other proposal we are looking at, is a Private Members Bill to make the original version, the indigenous version, indeed the Māori version of Te Tiriti o Waitangi the official version of the Treaty for all legislative purposes.
By doing that we give constitutional recognition to:
• a shared governance arrangement (article one);
• crown protection of Maori rights to their rangatiratanga (article two); and
• the guarantee of equal citizenship (article three).
This too will take a lot of lobbying, and again, groups like this will be key to the success of this initiative.
CONCLUSION

We know that the commitment of people like yourselves will be essential to polishing this gem of nationhood.

Your understanding of the Treaty education process will help reveal the true history of pakeha settlement and its impact on Maori.
Your knowledge of government’s illegal extinguishment of Maori customary rights will give you ammunition towards building capacity to support Maori Treaty claims.

And your support for the power-sharing anticipated by our forebears when they signed Te Tiriti o Waitangi is genuinely appreciated.

Because of all of that, there are possibilities for a genuine Treaty based future. I hope tonight we can signal a joint determination to work towards a day when we can say our nation has truly come of age; a day when our Treaty is honoured in every breath we take.

ends

© Scoop Media