At the beginning of this election campaign, I had the privilege of being with the Māori Party and the Kīngitanga at the launch of Rāhui Papa’s campaign at the poukai at Pōhara Marae.
It was a grand affair, with many Māori (and Pasifika) leaders from across Aotearoa in attendance, fantastic oratory, and an outstanding hākari. Holding the launch at the marae seemed an inspired idea. It sat at the heart of who Rāhui Papa is, and the assumed symbolic heart of our identity as tāngata whenua.
In retrospect, that launch was also a symbol of a growing mātauranga divide within our Māori communities.
That divide is about where tāngata whenua sit in relation to their own mātauranga — their knowledge. And it decided the fate of the Māori Party in this election.
The Māori Party have a passionate group of supporters and volunteers. And, in the main, those of us who attended the launch were comfortable at Pōhara Marae. We knew the protocols that boundaried the day, we were comfortable with te reo Māori as the language of communication, we could laugh at the iwi and marae in-jokes. We understood what we were seeing.
This isn’t the experience of the majority of tāngata whenua now. The marae is an often distant symbol of who are they are, not a lived reality of their lives.
At recent unveilings and tangihanga at my own marae, I was again reminded that only a small core run marae. An even smaller group are comfortable conversing in te reo Māori.
But most of our own whānau only visit the marae in life crises like death, and then spend their whole time with mild anxiety, hoping they don’t offend anyone and that their children don’t embarrass them.
So, launching a political campaign at a marae actually sent the wrong signal to Māori voters. It put Rāhui Papa on one side of the mātauranga divide — with the slightly intimidating, highly-educated guardians of a knowledge that many of our relations in the cities and poor communities of Aotearoa have no access to.
Rāhui is a tribal historian. He was the chairman of Te Arataura, the executive arm of Waikato-Tainui, before he stepped down to run against Labour’s Nanaia Mahuta, who’s held the Waikato-Tainui electorate since 2008. Nanaia won by more than 7,000 votes.
The Māori Party is the darling of marae communities, of whare wānanga, of kōhanga reo, of iwi, but that could never get them over the line once Labour energised the poor in urban Māori communities.
Impoverished tāngata whenua are always going to value meeting their basic needs, and mātauranga is always going to come second.
While the Māori Party had many policies and many wins over the last nine years, this didn’t translate well to the electorates, so appearance became everything.
And the appearance was of a Māori Party whose power base was semi-rural and rural, and iwi and marae-focused — against a Labour Party concerned about the needs and poverty of the urban Māori poor.
Those few of us whose lives are immersed in te reo Māori, tikanga, kawa, whakapapa, raupatu, wānanga, kura and kōhanga reo, have inadvertently created a closed community that cannot speak to the actual needs of the large majority of tāngata whenua in a language that is understood.
We were talking about aspirations for Māori identity to people whose aspirations are to buy food and pay the bills at the same time.
We forget how few people now hold the mātauranga of our ancestors, and that it is no longer a rallying cry for many of our people. Our myopia means that some excellent leaders are no longer in parliament and we are the lesser for it.
Thank you for reading E-Tangata. If you like our focus on Māori and Pasifika stories, interviews, and commentary, we need your help. Our content takes skill, long hours and hard work. But we're a small team and not-for-profit, so we need the support of our readers to keep going.
If you support our kaupapa and want to see us continue, please consider making a one-off donation or contributing $5 or $10 a month.
Many thanks for your insights
Many thanks for your insights. You make some really good points that I hadn’t considered. I wonder also, though, whether or not TMP’s alignment with the National Party, which favours the rich and often vilifies the poor, alienated many Maori who are in need.
Finally a voice that
Finally a voice that expresses what I have been thinking for a long time. Elitism does not recognise the day to day needs of our socially deprived communities.
Rawe!Tumeke! At last some
Rawe!Tumeke! At last some intelligent comment and response on this issue Graham. Having just come from a noho marae this weekend for our Te Reo class of 80 odd…and mẹ as a pakeha bloke of 68 with my 3 other older pakeha mates of similar age……Some things have been forgotten. As much as us older blokes there on the marae could emotionally attach to the causes of TMP…. to me the TMP have forgotten thế basics of our generation. I recall working alongside the likes of Nga Tamatoa guys in the 70”s on the garbage collection rounds in wellington. And having vehement arguments over whether being a worker was more important than being Maori in terms of what happens to you for deprivation discrimination etc – in other words whether identity had primacy over class. In fact an unresolvable argument.
Roll forward 40 odd years and to me TMP seemed to have forgotten some of the basics of this argument. You can’t eat Tino Rangitiratanga or be housed in Mana Motuhake. And let’s face it Maori make up the bulk of NZ’s working class. 30 years of dog shit neo liberalism hasnt changed this basic fact.
So when dear old NZLP comes along with a wishy washy social democratic agenda that looks like it might go some way to addressing the material circumstances of Maori working class voters (housing food education environment ) the NZLP is a shoo in.
With either outcome from MMP this time around, Maori working class people are going to be vastly disappointed.
To put a view from the 70’s that many may find quaint……. Thế class aspects of politics haven’t gone away. It’s just became unfashionable to talk about them any more. Plus therẻ was no political attraction or votes in jumping up and down about being a worker or representing working clas people.
So times have moved on and we now need to find new ways to move things forward politically that breaks the moribund grip of the red and blue. At the same that gives expression to the the aspirations – both political economic cultural and historic – of working class folk of whom Maori make up a large percentage.
This is no simple or easy task. But some possbilities exist. Sparking the conversation between progressive elements of all shades of current poltical alignment red, blue, green, TMP, TOP, would seem to be a good first step.
Housing food power environment education doesn’t have an ideological alignment. Nor should we in terms of our agreement to work together to resolve these.
TMP has a bright future if it reaches out to other politically progressive elements in other parties (or in fact whole other parties like TOP) to address the class aspects of its lost constituents.
Meantime us older blokes present on the marae this weekend are pledged to encourage the beauty of learning Te Reo, marae tikanga and kawa to our whanau, social groups and club’s within which we move in our local community and part of the rohe.
In this way we may move forward from the class vs identity arguments of the 70’s
I’m not sure asserting that
I’m not sure asserting that those who didn’t vote Maori Party are ignorant will win hearts. It could equally be argued that the way Maori seats voting went this time was a vote against the possibility of National getting back in. Let’s face it, if TMP had won their seats we’d most likely be looking at a National Govt being formed right now.
Plus the right vs.left political divide is an individual vs.collective one too. Maori communities know which side their bread is buttered – the individual-focus is further impoverishing our peeps and renders us kai ma te ahi. Kia kaha te wa ‘reflection and regroup’ TMP & Mana! Mainstream (aka settler) media keeps bleating hopefully that TMP is gone. No, down for the count but definitely not out.
I would like to say. My
I would like to say. My family has an uncle that will not share the knowledge with us on my mothers side. He thinks we will use I for bad things. On the other side my fathers family know where they come from and all that but most of us don’t have any knowledge at all. I just come from my fathers tangihana and my friend and I where not called on by anyone. And I found most of my fathers family where godless. I hope this does not look like I’m downing my family but I feel some of the people with the knowledge should give it up no matter what. Other wise you have people like me searching on our own and feel like our own people are shunning us for not been the child of the oldest son of the grandparents or the child of the daughter. Its a hard world out there if we are sent out there without a foundation.
I’ve read a number of
I’ve read a number of analyses from thoughtful people that all conclude “If TMP hadn’t done xxxxx it would still be there” – but none of them seem to agree on what xxxxx is. I’m in MANA and we suffered the same fate but we didn’t do any of the things Graham says were causative except hold some of our hui on marae. Most of our campaigning was at public events like sports functions and very like what Labour did so successfully.
The tikanga disconnect does have something to do with it, but that’s also about the notice urban Maori take of people like Willie Jackson. So did TMP cosying up to National. Then there was Labour’s very strong push to discredit both parties and misinformation like the NZ Socialist Organization saying MANA’s MOU with the Maori Party meant we were about to side with National..
I personally think a bigger cause was the way mainstream media trivialised the election as part personality contest and part dog-whistle issues, and both the big parties used that to their advantage. There was very little media examination of serious policy – not just theirs but also the smaller parties. Gareth Morgan’s quite radical policies got very little mention by mainstream and MANA’s got exactly none – we had 25 pages of policy on our website (it’s still there!) that hardly anyone looked at and we issued weekly media policy releases that nobody used.
It suits Big Red and Big Blue to have a compliant media and ignorant voters, and as long as that continues I suspect Maori will go on struggling for political equity.
Life for Maori is not all
Life for Maori is not all doom and gloom. We have had many Prophets and Prophetess in. Our midst who have tried to point us to the only Almighty God l believe if all Maori Churches along with all our people in Autority would RISE Up allow God to be God in His WORD HE wants to Shower His Glory upon this nation of Aotearoa but He is waiting for US. Remember we are not fighting against flesh and blood but against the. Principaties of the Universe. Tha following 3 scriptures came to light in my prayer time after the 2017 Elections: 2 Chronicles 7 v 14. If my people which are called by my name will humble themselvesturn from their wicked ways and pray I will hear from heaven forgive their sins and I will heal the land. 2 Chronicles 20 v 12. You are our God punish them for we are helpless in the face of the large army that is attacking us we do not know what to do but we look to you for help. 2 Chronicle 20 v 15. The Lord says that you must not be discouraged or be afraid to face this large army . The battle depends on God and not you. Kia kaha I roto I TE Ariki I Te mana hoki o tona Kaha A revival is about to birth in Aotearoa
POLITICS IS JUST THAT:
POLITICS IS JUST THAT:
Ratana prophesed “te ture wairua” (gods govt) me te “ture tangata” (mans’govt) must move together in unison
we were advised the “unity” of the Maori people in the “spirit” was the key” nothing more nothing less..
Everyone speaks of “mans aspirations” over the laws and purpose of the aspirations of Ihoa o nga dvised
MAKES SENSE..WHY WOULD IHOA CREATE SOMETHING SO GREAT OUR WORLD AND WATCH “MAN”
TEAR IT DOWN..he wouldn’t..
Kia ora from Brisbane.
Kia ora from Brisbane.
A very insightful article Graham. Thank you for this perhaps overlooked fact.
As my whanau and many thousands of other whanau living here in Aust, we always care about what’s happening back home. Because it’s our home!
I didn’t vote last election because being here is not straightforward but made sure I did this time.
I sincerely hope that our people’s voices are heard and it looks like, although it may not be Te Paati Maaori, that may well be the case.
The Greens came to Brisbane before the electing and I wanted to go to see what they were campaigning on and talk to them. However due to mahi commitments I was unable.
I don’t know if any other parties made the trip here. Perhaps they did; I just didn’t hear about it.
A successful campaign of any sort, political or not, is only as powerful add the effort you make to talk to people. In the flesh. Kanohi ki te kanohi.
He tangata – people. Talk to them, get them involved and empowered but most importantly – whakarongo. Listen!
The people will tell you if you’re doing something right or not.
Kia ora.
The Maori Party were out of
The Maori Party were out of touch this round and the inclusion of Kingitanga influence done them no favors. Rahui Papa is a significant person within the Kingitanga where he shines, the political arena just didn’t suit him. The rantings of Marama Fox undermined any progress she claims that had happened over the last 9 years and yet, homelessness, poverty, filthy waterways, poor quality of homes speak volumes. Will the Maori Party rally the troops to bounce back, according to Tariana Turia yes they will e ngari, let those who won those 7 seats back for Labour get on with it.
Lawrence is quite right and I
Lawrence is quite right and I am reminded of a story that came from Nga Morehu o Ngapuhi about a visit by Ratana many years ago to Wellington and as he was walking around Parliament he made a prophesy. He looked around, walked around and then he said “There is nothing for our people here….but one day there will be someone who will lead our people into the future”. When Mana Motuhake came along people believed “Yes, this is Ratana’s prophesy”…but no! – Mana Motuhake went under the Alliance – and the people shook their heads sadly. Then along came New Zealand First and did a massive clean sweep of all the Maori Seats…and the people smiled and said “, Yes, this is Ratana’s prophesy”…but no – NZ First hopped into te moenga with National…then along came the Maori Party…and for a while people believed “Yes, here it is…Ratana’s prophesy…but…the people are still waiting. When are we going to wake up and know the ONLY one to lead Maori into the future is Maoridom itself…not bits and ;pieces of it – but ALL of Maoridom. Why do we do this to ourselves? We jump all over the place seeing which “waka” we look the neatest in when all we need is the ONE that fits us the best…OURS!…We will never have our ‘tino rangatiratanga’ as a collective culture…until we learn that we are only as strong as our weakest link.
Wanda I wonder if he, Ratana
Wanda I wonder if he, Ratana chose parliament because he was indicating that Leadership at this level is the type of leadership needed.And yes many attempts have been made hoping the prophecy had arrived followed by disappointment and disbelief.It has taken how many generations to bring us to this point ….we have done well in spite of.Hey we aren’t there yet but setting up our own tino rangatiratanga, bases for economic development,trade etc is definitely a great outcome already in action.Our thinking has evolved and we are at the point where we are discussing the worth of political approach to tino rangatiratanga(Prophecy). Once we have come to the conclusion that their is no wrong way to achieve tinorangatanga then we will come together.You know i think that Kapa Haka and those who have kept the ahi kaa burning on the Marae was and are the kaitiake of te Ao Maori etc,Political Maori gave reason for the most effected by colonization to be seen and vocal seeking a political approach for change, Academic Maori were to dig out and inform the people sharing light bulb moments,igniting discussion. What you see as waka jumping could be seen a Maori still getting it wrong but engaging.wait till next election.We need to target the illiterate as well, since there is a huge % of Maori and others that are illiterate.They aint gonna vote they cant read.We need to reach that group.We need to claw back the rights of prisoners to vote, given that prison, is ABOUT punishment the loss of freedom etc that doesn’t exclude them from being citizens of Aotearoa DENYING Maori from the right to vote, in a democratic society . GOT A BLOODY cheek! Heard nothing from Human Rights or Race Relations or anyone else for that matter.The Maori in the House need to see this as an issue as well.
Tena Koe Wanda,
Tena Koe Wanda,
I tautoko your korero not only because I am Morehu but because that is so true and the words (ONE that fits us the best…OURS!..) and we acheive this through whakakotahitanga
Your report is what I thought
Your report is what I thought may be the case. Any time Maori is used to communicate, should also show the English interpretation. Be it little time or for other reasons, very few are able to lean Maori until such time as it is compulsory in schools.
This unfortunately is true
This unfortunately is true and what I see with the students I work with. Many of them know their Pepeha but are ashamed because they have never been there. They and their parents know little about their family history. This is something compulsory Te Reo in schools could help address.
Hi Etomia, thank you for
Hi Etomia, thank you for sharing. Can I ask where you work – urban, semi-rural or rural? I am Samoan and we face similar challenges in trying to reconnect from our contemporary and mostly urban contexts. Faafetai
Sad and very true. I see and
Sad and very true. I see and know too many Maori that are alienated from their tikanga Maori. Thank you Graham Cameron.
I was surprised at how painful it felt when I realised the outcome for the Maori Party post election and then to see W. Jackson’s attack on Marama Fox the following morning was like salt.
When our Elders were forbidden to speak Maori, I wonder if it was because they, (pakeha), new it was the key to what held maoridom together. Our knowledge of everything pertaining to our being Maori, family history, land, spiritual, protocols and etticut etc etc. Even though I am lead to believe that learning English was to enable us to adapt better in the Pakeha world. Yeah right!