Speaking Maori about showing respect, says PM
Bill English has praised the way Ratana welcomes politicians and is standing firm on his decision not to attend Waitangi next month.
The Prime Minister was welcomed to Ratana Pa yesterday for the first time since being appointed as leader and described the reception as the ‘‘best of tikanga’’ in terms of the ‘‘hospitality, respectfulness and warmth’’ he received.
There were initially suggestions English wouldn’t make the 25th celebrations this year after the day set aside by Ratana for political talks clashed with his Cabinet’s first meeting of the year.
That would have meant he would have snubbed both Ratana and Waitangi this year after he announced he wouldn’t be attending commemorations up north in February on the two days traditionally attended by political leaders.
He arrived at Ratana with a delegation, including ministers Nick Smith, Hekia Parata, Peter Dunne, Jacqui Dean and Mark Mitchell.
Ratana Church secretary Piri Rurawhe was first to speak and stressed it was their choice to extend an invite to English to attend a day earlier than other political leaders because all are welcome at Ratana Pa, ‘‘irrespective of the colour of their skin’’.
Rurawhe said having the new prime minister attend was about giving the people an opportunity to hear the Government’s plans for the year ahead.
English began his reply to Rurawhe and the Ratana people speaking extensively in Maori without any notes - demonstrating his good grasp of the language.
Speaking to media after, he said he wouldn’t say he was ‘‘proficient’’ but had instead ‘‘picked up bits and pieces’’ in his years in Parliament.
‘‘I just think it’s important when you’re going into a formal Maori situation to show some respect for the language. I don’t know a whole lot. I can understand roughly half of what’s said and I can use some of it,’’ he said.
Maori King Tuheitia did not attend events because he was recovering from a kidney transplant late last year. His older son, What umoana Paki, attended in his absence.
Meanwhile, Labour leader Andrew Little has hinted he plans to send a message to the people of Ratana when he is officially welcomed on to the marae today but is tight-lipped about what it will be.
The Opposition leader said the party had been working hard on the relationship between Ratana and Labour.
Relations between Labour and Kingitanga have been fraught since Tuheitia’s speech last year at the 10th anniversary of his coronation where he said he would no longer vote for the party and threw his support behind the Maori Party instead.
Labour holds six of the seven Maori seats.
The Maori Party is pushing hard to claw some of them back at this year’s election.