November Recap in Te Ao Māori
This past month in November has been impactful throughout Te Ao Māori. A nationwide hikoi (march) against injustice, powerful parliamentary protests, and a surge of global attention on Māori affairs has highlighted the importance of fighting for what you believe in.
Join us as we reflect on the impact of the Hīkoi Mō Te Tiriti, alongside the parliamentary protest haka by Māori MPs.
Hīkoi Mō Te Tiriti
In response to the controversial Treaty Principles bill from the New Zealand Coalition Government, thousands marched from Te Kao, at the top of Te Ika a Māui / North Island to the steps of Parliament in Pōneke / Wellington.
As the days continued, more people from across the country joined the growing number of hikoi participants .
The Toitū Te Tiriti movement was started by a collective of Māori who wanted to show the strength of tangata whenua and tangata tiriti working together for the betterment of our country.
It was inspiring to see this kaupapa build on the foundations of both the 1975 Land March, and the 2004 Foreshore and Seabed March.
This article by RNZ discusses how members of both previous hikoi attended the Hīkoi Mō Te Tiriti this year to continue the kaupapa in this latest iteration.
As the Toitū Te Tiriti movement say: Toitū Te Tiriti is tupuna inspired, tiriti led, mana motuhake driven and
mokopuna focused.
This was reflected in the amazing attendance for the final portion of the hikoi on day 9.
A sea of people gathered outside Parliament, united in peaceful resistance and kotahitanga (solidarity). Estimates of the crowd range from 17,000 to 100,000— but one thing is clear: the turnout was massive. Aerial and rooftop photos capture the sheer scale of this historic hikoi, as the streets overflowed with protestors standing strong for justice.
Image Credit: Te Ao News
Several live streams on Facebook and through local news media captured powerful speeches from Māori community leaders, including Stan Walker, and Rawiri Waititi, highlighting the importance of the event.
Eru Kapa-Kingi, a key figure in the Toitū Te Tiriti movement, spoke to the day’s significance for Māori, past and present:
“If Te Tiriti and Tangata Whenua are well, then we are all well. If we can thrive on this whenua, everyone eats from the marae, and no one is left behind. That’s the future we’re heading towards— but we must believe.”
The kaupapa resonated not just with Māori, but with many tauiwi too. It was inspiring to see people from across cultures—Asian, Pasifika, Middle Eastern— unite in solidarity for a future of togetherness between Tangata Whenua and Tangata Tiriti (people of the land and people of the treaty).
A positive outcome from the hikoi: by 25 November, 2024 over 3000 Māori had enrolled on the Māori electoral roll.
This is crucial for ensuring tangata whenua’s representation in Parliament, amplifying Māori voices across Aotearoa, and reflecting our 20% share of the population— nearly one million Māori nationwide.
With the growing call for Tino Rangatiratanga, now is the time to stand up and fight for a better future in Aotearoa.
Ka Mate performed in Parliament
Ka Mate, the haka composed by Te Rauparaha of Ngāti Toa was performed by Māori MPs during the first reading of the Treaty Principles Bill.
This process started when David Seymour and the ACT Party introduced this bill in late 2023, in their own words repeatedly claiming it’s about ensuring ‘equal rights’ for all Kiwis.
However closer analysis of the bill shows how it undermines Māori rights as outlined in the Treaty of Waitangi.
Experts including Māori lawyer Riana Te Ngahue (Ngāti Porou) have explained how this bill is detrimental to Māori and contradicts what is outlined in both the Māori and English versions of the Treaty.
So when the bill was presented to Parliament for a first hearing, Te Pāti Māori were asked for their vote.
In response, Te Pāti Māori MP Hana Rawhiti Maipi Clarke tore up the paper containing her party’s votes and led a haka with her other party members.
Standing in solidarity with Hana were Peeni Henare and Willie Jackson of the Labour Party
The global community quickly took notice of Hana and the Māori MPs who joined her in the haka, flooding social media with support.
A TikTok reel released by Whakaata Māori of Hana leading the haka has amassed over 25 million likes, with her voice becoming a powerful tool for viral videos of solidarity.
This moment coincides with a global movement where Indigenous peoples are rising to address historic and ongoing injustices. We can see this happening in Kanaky / New Caledonia, Hawai’i, Palestinian and many other places throughout the world.
Moving into 2025, there will be a renewed national effort in our community to establish mana motuhake through a thriving Māori economy and building on established connections with other indigenous peoples.
The second reading of the Treaty Principles Bill will happen in 2025 also, and we will continue to protest and ensure that Tangata Whenua alongside Tangata Tiriti are striving for a better future.