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Bring back Goodwill and Cooperation into the House
Bring back Goodwill and Cooperation into the House
Māori Party candidate for Tāmaki Makaurau, Rangi
McLean if elected into parliament on 20 September will be
continuing a sacred tradition which directly connects him to
the first Maori MPs in Parliament, and specifically Tareha
Te Moananui - the MP for the Eastern Maori Electorate from
1868- 1870 - and the first Māori MP to speak in the
House.
Mr McLean is also connected by whakapapa to the wife of Tareha Te Moananui who came from Waimana.
In that first address on 4 August 1868, Tareha Te Moananui, a great Ngāti Kahungunu leader and tupuna of Hon Dr Pita Sharples, emphasized to the House the importance of goodwill and cooperation. He went further in his maiden speech to explain that the thoughts of Māori people lie in a different direction to the European, and that is why distinctive Māori representation is so vital to our nation moving forward.
The only other Māori MP to have a full-faced moko was Karaitiana Takamoana, MP for the Eastern Māori Electorate from 1871 -1879.
"I would be so proud, to be the first Māori MP in living memory, to bring a full-faced moko back into the House" said Mr McLean.
"Tā Moko is a living art form - it is a strong statement that we wear to honour the traditions of our tupuna. Within the tā moko we connect to whakapapa - that sacred thread that binds us to the generations before us. It represents our culture, our customs, our people, our heritage.
"In the 21st century we have seen a revival of tā moko as part of the revival of Māori culture. Getting a full-faced moko was my statement of pride in being Māori - to do all that I can to uphold our values, to walk the talk and be part of our collective movement for our whānau.
"The Maori Party is the logical home for me to continue my lifelong ambition to represent Māori, to listen to their concerns and do something about it," says Mr McLean.
On current polling, Rangi McLean (28%) is facing a close battle with Labour candidate Peeni Henare (27%) for the Tāmaki Makaurau seat.
ends
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