Pressure on Crown-Ma¯ori relations
ANALYSIS: Politicians will be bringing their best te reo to
Ra¯ tana commemorations to show respect, with the added hope of getting Ma¯ ori-Crown relations off to a smooth start.
The political year will kick off today with MPs travelling to Rangit¯ıkei to the Ra¯ tana Church, where party leaders and a select few MPs will speak.
This week’s events mark the birthday of prophet Tahupo¯ tiki Wiremu (T W) Ra¯ tana – the founder of the Ra¯ tana religion, which also became a political movement in the early 20th century.
The Ra¯ tana Church has strong ties to the Labour Party, with
Ra¯ tana’s great-grandson Adrian Rurawhe holding the Te Tai Haua¯ uru seat for Labour. He is now also Assistant Speaker of the House. Rurawhe’s brother Piri Rurawhe is the church secretary.
While politicians don’t use Ra¯ tana as a political platform in the same way they do Waitangi, this week will be somewhat of a warm-up for the big year ahead in Ma¯ ori-Crown relations.
The election saw a number of issues come to the surface, including water ownership rights and the future of charter schools.
Last week, there was a debate over the state of te reo, with a historian saying the language was dying, and Bill English saying it wasn’t up to government to ‘‘save someone else’s language’’.
Understandably, the comments from the National leader, who spoke in te reo during last year’s Ra¯ tana commemorations, sparked further debate.
Now, Treaty settlements are also in the spotlight, after the Government quietly topped up Waikato-Tainui and the South Island’s Nga¯ i Tahu $190 million and $180m, respectively.
And if that wasn’t enough to manage, after the election two senior MPs – NZ First’s Shane Jones and Labour’s Willie Jackson – discredited the iwi-appointed leadership group, the Iwi Chairs Forum (ICF), with the former saying ‘‘Halley’s Comet will be back’’ before he met with the ICF.
The comments came after the ICF threatened Supreme Court action if the Government didn’t address Ma¯ ori rights to freshwater.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has said she didn’t believe Jones’ and Jackson’s comments would cause an issue when she met with the ICF ahead of Waitangi, early next month.
English said the change in government would bring about some ‘‘real challenges’’ for Ma¯ oriCrown relations.
‘‘Just because it’s a Labour-NZ First-Greens government doesn’t mean the issues have gone away.’’
The ICF had taken strong leadership in the area of advocating for Ma¯ ori rights and issues during the past 10 years. The Labour-led Government’s instinct was to try to control the Ma¯ ori representatives, which would not work, he said.
‘‘I think the Government will find it’s a well-organised, effective group that’s worth engaging with positively, rather than criticising before they’ve even started.’’
Ardern and English would both speak today, along with Green Party leader James Shaw, and NZ First leader Winston Peters.
Other respected Ma¯ ori MPs, including Labour’s Kelvin Davis, Peeni Henare, and Shane Jones were expected to address the church and attendees.
Ra¯ tana was also a time for the politicians to show respect by delivering at least a portion of their speech in te reo.
The state of the Ma¯ ori language has been widely discussed during the past week after the release of a controversial book.
AUT history professor Paul Moon said the government’s efforts to date were keeping te reo on ‘‘life support’’, rather than reviving the language.
Moon’s comments led to a discussion over whose responsibility it is to save te reo, which sparked further controversy after English’s comment it wasn’t up to the Government to ‘‘save someone else’s language’’.
Today’s addresses would give politicians the chance to continue to raise the language’s profile.
Last year, English impressed at Ra¯ tana with his level of fluency after speaking in te reo for almost three minutes.
English said he hadn’t gone about his learning in any systematic way, he had picked up some te reo at events, ceremonies, meetings and on the marae. While he did not have a deep knowledge of the language, English said using te reo was a way to show respect.
A spokesperson for Ardern said the prime minister had been practising her pronunciation, but she was not taking formal te reo lessons. She was ‘‘very keen’’ to learn more and was ‘‘doing what she can’’.
A spokesperson for Shaw said part of his speech would focus on the Green Party’s dedication to te reo. The party campaigned to make te reo a compulsory subject in schools, as did the Ma¯ ori Party. However, this was not the new government’s policy.
‘‘I’m looking forward to speaking with the people of
Ra¯ tana about how the Greens remain committed to doing everything we can to honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi and how we will work alongside them and hapu¯ and iwi Ma¯ ori to achieve that,’’ said Shaw.
Ma¯ori Development Minister Nanaia Mahuta said using te reo at the commemorations was important in order to acknowledge the Ma¯ ori culture.
Mahuta said even if someone did not have a strong grasp of the language, being able to do a basic mihi – a formal welcome – could open doors.
It was important to attempt to use the language, as it was when travelling to other countries, as a way to show respect for the culture, and forge relationships, she said.
When a Labour politician needed help with their te reo, they would often pick up the phone to ask for help from one of their fluent colleagues. ‘‘It’s that easy,’’ she said.
However, the party whips also made sure they organised structured lessons for anyone who requested them.
Last year, Treaty Negotiations Minister Andrew Little said he was more committed than ever to learning te reo.
The former Labour leader had been learning bits and pieces during his time at the helm but after taking on the new role after the election, Little made a ‘‘firm commitment’’ to learn the language.
Mahuta said there were now a fair few people in Labour, and in Government, who had a good grasp of the language.
They would continue to use their fluency to showcase the language, and help support colleagues looking to learn.
A number of new MPs delivered a significant portion of their maiden speeches in te reo. And, when Davis was acting prime minister in November, he answered oral questions in the House in te reo - a first for an acting PM.