M¯aori Party brings a challenge, and song

The Ma¯ ori Party is back.

Co-leaders Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer have launched the new term with fiery maiden speeches, including a call for an apology from the Crown similar to that made by news organisation Stuff.

Waititi spoke first, saying his job this term was to be a balance against ‘‘those holding to the colonial ways’’. ‘‘You know what it feels like to have a pebble in your shoe? That will be my job here.’’

He said to Speaker Trevor Mallard that he had been ‘‘looking forward to this because I know you can’t sit me down, but I won’t test you’’. It was a joking reference to their run-in the previous week when he tried to make a point of order in te reo Ma¯ ori.

He then launched into the waiata that the party used throughout the campaign, Magic People.

Waititi said the largest media organisation in New Zealand, Stuff had publicly apologised to Ma¯ori and had ‘‘taken responsibility for their failings’’.

‘‘My question is, when will the Crown do the same? . . . When will the Crown own their failings and commit to doing better?’’

It was time to transform politics in Aotearoa, he said, ‘‘it is time for Ma¯ ori to look after Ma¯ ori, as we know what is best for us’’.

Co-leader Ngarewa-Packer stood next and spoke painful truths about the House where she would now represent her people and the party.

She said she stood as the descendant of a people who survived a holocaust, ‘‘a genocide sponsored by this House’’.

Fortunately the resolve and strength of her whakapapa (heritage) outlived the efforts of ‘‘‘the monsters on these walls’’ who inflicted their atrocities on Taranaki.

Her mum was Pa¯keha¯ and her dad was Ma¯ ori – a kind of embodiment of the Treaty of Waitangi, she said.

Back in the 80s the economic downturn hit her South Taranaki hometown of Patea hard, she said.

Despite that there had been incredible achievements – the likes of ‘‘one of our larger-than-life uncles’’ Dalvanius Prime who had against all odds created the biggest selling music hit in 1984, with Poi E by the Patea Ma¯ori Club.

‘‘I’m proud to say many of those aunties and uncles, my role models, are here today.’’

When Waititi’s speech finished, one of the first to congratulate him with a hongi was his Waiariki rival, Labour MP Ta¯ mati Coffey.

And after Ngarewa-Packer’s speech, the packed public gallery stood and belted out a multi-part harmony version of Poi E that reverberated throughout the chamber.