'That's our whānau' — Te Ao Māori responds to Tonga eruption

Wednesday, 19 January 2022

Ngāti Kahungunu iwi leader Ngahiwi Tomoana says, because Aotearoa is the youngest island nation, we have responsibilities to our tuākana, or older sibling, Tonga.

Māori leaders are calling on the Government to do more to support their Pacific cousins in the wake of the Tongan undersea volcanic eruption and tsunami over the weekend, along with greater collaboration with iwi to help the people of Tonga.

Ngāti Kahungungu Iwi Incorporated chairperson Ngahiwi Tomoana said that it was in “our DNA to care about the land and people” and he wanted to reassure Tongan whānau that, “we are here waiting for you with wide, open arms”.

He emphasised the connection between the two nations’ whakapapa lines.

HMNZS Wellington departed Devonport Naval Base in Auckland to head to Tonga on Tuesday afternoon. (First published January 20, 2022)

“The Takitimu waka was one of the seven canoes in the great migration to Aotearoa. We are related to Tonga by this waka,” Tomoana said. “The waka was made in Samoa but passed through generations until it made its eventual way to Tonga. To this day there are lines of whakapapa that encompass Samoan, Tongan and ancient Māori genealogy. So there’s our direct connection.”

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Saturday’s eruption has Māori leaders worried about the whānau and whenua of Tonga.

That direct connection was one of the reasons Māori leaders want iwi involvement in the Government response.

High concerns for low-lying islands near Tonga.

While Te Tai Tokerau communities cleaned up the damage left by a tsunami surge and Tropical Cyclone Cody, Far North iwi Ngāti Kuri representative Mike Smith said he couldn’t imagine the “mamae”, or hurt, that Tongan whānau would be feeling.

“As [Waitangi] Treaty partners, I would like to be involved [in the aid response] … And as manaakitanga dictates, we also have obligations.”

Tomoana echoed that sentiment: “As the youngest island nation, we have responsibilities to our tuākana, or older sibling.

“We should absolutely be involved in Government processes. They call us in during Covid response but leave us out of higher profile international matters. They’ve got us on the manaaki, caring, end but not on the whakaora, revitalisation, end. We should both be involved at all stages.”

Department of Conservation cultural adviser Barney Thomas, also spoke of manaakitanga. “We are related to the people of Tonga. We can support them by supporting their loved ones here.”

Tomoana reflected on the Māori lunar calendar, Te Māramataka Māori, observing that the moon was in the phase of “Te Atua Whakahaehae” during the eruption. Tomoana recalled this phase to be a time of war between Tanemāhuta, the god of the forest, and his brothers. A time consistent with extreme weather patterns, this event has been regarded as sign of displeasure from Rūaumoko, the god of earthquakes, to his older brothers.

Smith, who is also the chairman of Climate Change Iwi Leaders Group, urged the Government to reduce carbon emissions and reconsider the allowance of climate refugees.

“Tonga is an atoll and is susceptible to extreme weather. When you get a tsunami like that it demonstrates the effects of the storm surges and sea levels rising.”

Meanwhile, Labour MPs Anahila Kanongata’a-Suisuiki and Jenny Salesa, who have set up the Aotearoa Tonga Relief Committee, say those anxious to help should wait until it is clear what the nation needs.

Minister for Māori Development Willie Jackson confirmed that damage assessments were under way and Aotearoa has formally offered to provide assistance to Tonga. An initial $500,000 was made available to respond to requests from the Government of Tonga as they come in.

The New Zealand High Commission in Nuku’alofa is monitoring the situation closely and is in contact with local authorities.