Māori leaders voice concerns, frustrations at Te Koroneihana

Tuesday, 20 August 2024

At the Māori King's coronation, leaders criticised the Government for dismantling Māori policies. While the Prime Minister faced strong criticism, his attendance was acknowledged, underscoring ongoing tensions.

There was no holding back when politicians arrived at Tūrangawaewae Marae in Ngāruawāhia on Monday for the Koroneihana of Kīngi Tūheitia Pōtatau Te Wherowhero VII.

Tukoroirangi Morgan, former adviser to the Māori King, said ACT leader David Seymour “could run and hide all he likes” - Māori are not going anywhere.

His sentiments were echoed through the day as Māori expressed frustration at the coalition government’s actions, including removing Treaty obligations from Oranga Tamariki, Māori wards changes and axing the Māori Health Authority.

The ACT Party did not attend the Koroneihana this year.

Te iwi Māori aired their concerns and frustrations with the Government as the latter arrived to commemorate Te Koroneihana - the 18th anniversary of the coronation of the Māori King - on Monday.

Around 400 people packed on to Tūrangawaewae Marae in Ngāruawāhia, on what was a wet, cold and windy day. Although the temperature was low, the mood was high, helped along by the generous manaakitanga of the tangata whenua, as hot kai was served to incoming guests and whānau.

Bellies full, a thunderous haka filled the air as the government and opposition, led by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon ‒ to some the face of the “three-headed taniwha” ‒ entered the marae.

The Government had “thrown Māori under the bus and run them over”, Tukoroirangi Morgan said in his speech at Te Koroneihana.

Even before the pōwhiri ceremony began, iwi Māori made their feelings known.

ACT is using Hobson’s Pledge as an “attack dog” and “Māori aren’t going anywhere” Tukoroirangi Morgan told reporters ahead of the pōwhiri.

The former adviser to Kīngi Tūheitia and chairperson of Waikato-Tainui executive arm Te Arataura, Morgan did not mince his words when speaking on the paepae either, the weather beginning to turn.

'We've watched your Government dismantle everything that is meaningful to Māori in this country. You've thrown Māori under the bus and you've run them over,' Morgan told Luxon, the latter appearing to nod in understanding.

As Morgan made his thoughts on the Government clear, echoed by many Māori across Aotearoa, the rain came down, almost as if Tāwhirimātea had been summoned to emphasise his point.

'We know your ears are deaf to our people. So here's the score: We say to iwi across this country that we have to unite. The King has said we must unite,' Morgan said.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon takes in the speeches at Tūrangawaewae Marae.

Morgan finished his kōrero, asking for Luxon and NZ First leader Winston Peters to guarantee they will not support the Treaty Principles Bill past its first reading.

Both the Prime Minister and NZ First’s Shane Jones made that commitment, ruling out supporting ACT’s Treaty Principles Bill past the first reading.

I kōrerotia te aha ki te whaikōrero?/What was said in the speeches?

It was tax cut cash in pockets for Māori and reassurances over the Treaty Principles Bill from Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka in his whaikōrero.

Speaking in te reo Māori, he said that, in the past months, PM Luxon had himself said many times - and as per the coalition government decision - the Treaty Principles Bill would go to its first reading then 'ka mate, ka hemo ki reira' - that's where it would die.

'That's what the PM said over and over… and I support what he said for the Treaty Principles Bill. I can't oppose the prime minister, and… I wasn't surprised to see the findings of the Waitangi Tribunal on the bill last week.'

From left: Te Pāti Māori MP Takuta Ferris, and NZ First’s Winston Peters and Shane Jones.

Potaka also spoke about the government's tax cuts that had put money back in the pockets of Māori people.

Former defence minister, Labour MP Peeni Henare spoke of how the mauri (essence) of the previous government’s work to support Māori, like the Māori health authority and Māori wards in councils - subsequently “mistreated” in Parliament in the past months - should be handed to the King, and to Māori, to tend over the coming years till the sun shines again and the seed regrows.

Then if Māori wanted to return “even a part” of those kaupapa to Parliament again, that decision was up to them, he said.

Henare spoke about the upcoming 40th anniversary of the famed Te Māori exhibition that had travelled to the US.

'I was just a little kid when it went to America. When we were there, our job was to support the kaupapa.' He gave thanks to the King's mother, Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu, and other leaders for their support for that exhibition.

Koroneihana attendees braved the cold, wet and windy weather to take part in the day’s proceedings at Tūrangawaewae Marae in Ngāruawāhia.

Greens MP Teanau Tuiono spoke about colleague MP Efeso Collins who died in February. Despite his whakapapa to Samoa, his heart belonged to Auckland, Tuiono said.

Collins' focus in the short time he was in Parliament was on the ongoing legislation returning citizenship to Western Samoan people who had had it unfairly removed.

Tuiono said it was Chlöe Swarbrick's first time at the koroneihana as co-leader - a job that she was shouldering on her own at the movement, “guiding the waka over the waves and swells of the ocean”, while co-leader Marama Davidson was taking time to deal with cancer. He sent his thoughts to Davidson.

Tuiono said if there was one thing that he had learned in the past year, it was “kia mataara, haere ki te rata e hoa mā”. Be careful: don’t be reluctant to see the doctor, he said. And then listen to the doctor to stay healthy.

He said when looking at the current government it was a case of “kei te hautū te whiore i te kurī”. The tail was wagging the dog.

Te Koroneihana takes place from August 15-21, with festivities including a rugby tournament and kapa haka over the weekend.

It started with the traditional kawe mate, remembering those who have died, and would end on Wednesday with Te Raa Koroneihana, when Kīngi Tūheitia will deliver his formal address.

Te Koroneihana began in the 1800s during the reign of the second Māori King, Kīngi Tāwhiao (Tūkāroto Pōtatau Matutaera Tāwhiao).