Petitioner demands Kaipara mayor resign over karakia
An online petition calling on Kaipara mayor Craig Jepson to resign over his ban on karakia at the start of council meetings has attracted nearly 2000 signatures.
The petition was started by Shane Nikora of Porirua last weekend and 1949 people had signed it by midafternoon yesterday.
Jepson did not wish to respond but has said previously he was not against Māori and was instead intent on building an inclusive environment.
He shut down efforts by new Māori ward councillor Pera Paniora to say a karakia to start the Kaipara District
Council (KDC)’s first full council meeting, in Mangawhai last Wednesday.
Paniora eventually used her maiden speech to say the karakia.
Jepson at the time said he would continue with the approach of not having karakia at the start of council meetings, saying he intended to run a secular council that respected everyone’s religion and ethnicity.
Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon waded into the debate, calling on the new mayor to reconsider his ban on karakia as it was important for councils and all organisations to create the right space to encourage Māori to honour the Treaty of Waitangi and to provide a space to express their culture and language.
In his petition, Nikora said Māori cultural expression was guaranteed under the Treaty. “Local Government are required to uphold Treaty of Waitangi principles in their spaces and decision-making. Banning karakia is a breach of the Treaty of Waitangi,” he said.
“Aotearoa New Zealand is an ethnically diverse country with many religions — or not — and we extend a warm welcome and much aroha to you all. However, Māori should not be considered alongside these many different ethnicities and religions celebrated in Aotearoa New Zealand.
“Why? Because Māori are indigenous to this land. Mayor Craig Jepson should be removed from office.
“Mayor Craig Jepson should stand down,” Nikora said.
Jepson earlier said he had been hugely supported in his stance on karakia, inundated with dozens of positive calls, texts and emails from around New Zealand since the meeting. He was not against Māori. His actions had been about creating an environment for all councillors, he said.
Before becoming mayor Jepson campaigned, as part of Democracy Northland, against the introduction of
Māori wards without public polling first, gathering petition signatures presented to KDC in early 2021
Members of the Iwi Leaders Forum will meet with Jepson — whether he wants to hui or not.
Dame Naida Glavish (Ngāti Whātua Ki Kaipara) has called the meeting as the the banning of karakia, ignoring tikanga Māori, has upset the forum.
“Karakia is important to us because we have practised it for aeons of generations — the christianity that the mayor wants to stop is his business but he will never, ever stop karakia — never.”
The hui with the mayor “in our Kaipara” will take place this week, Glavish said.