Ngā Kaihoe, as the Tangata Whenua Advisory for Ara Taiohi, acknowledge that current intentions to alter the constitutional document of Aotearoa New Zealand by the current Government is unacceptable. Te Tiriti o Waitangi has always ensured the hopes and aspirations of our Tamariki, Mokopuna. Ngā Kaihoe have a commitment to Māori in the Youth Development Sector to ensure the voices of our whānau are upheld and heard at all levels, ensuring that knowledge is shared allowing all whānau to continue to thrive and ensuring to advocate where we can. This is the driver for our Kotahitanga. Te Tiriti o Waitangi affirms our right; to govern, to speak, to practice, to perform, to recite, to write, and to learn the ways of our tipuna.
The suggested Treaty Principles Bill aims to revoke what is promised to us, belongs to us, and is our inherent right. We as Ngā Kaihoe will stand up to say that we do not support this suggested bill. We will continue to advocate for the rights of Māori. We will continue to advocate for rangatahi Māori in Aotearoa. We will continue to be proud to be Māori.
Toitū Te Tiriti, Toitū Te Mana Motuhake.
Message from our Kaihautū: Reflecting on Hui aa Motu
Attending the hui-a-motu at Turangawaewae Marae, there were three key themes stood out for me: kotahitanga, tuakiritanga and mana motuhaketanga.
In his closing korero, Kiingi Tuheitia made a number of profound statements, which I believe sets a strong pathway forward for us in the rangatahi sector. “Our time is now. Kotahitanga is the way” was one of those statements and I believe we need to promote and activate kotahitanga and collaboration within the sector.
“The best protest we can do right now is be Māori. Live our values, speak our reo, care for our mokopuna, our awa, and our maunga.” This was another profound statement, which went viral after he shared this message. It was a great reminder that within our Tuakiri lie the solutions for healing and transformation. We are more powerful than we realise and being indigenous to this whenua, we need to appreciate our surroundings and work with our taiao to achieve healing and transformation.
Piripi Winiata shared the summary from the rangatahi forum. He said, “Rangatahi are already expressing Mana Motuhake in their own lives.” We truly do have a generation of young warriors rising up and they fight the same, FIGHT, but in a totally different way.
Another mana motuhake message that came out of the rangatahi forum was, “Don’t centre the fight for Mana Motuhake in Wellington – centre it in our kainga.” I believe this is where the rubber hits the road. With a tense political environment, I am reminded that dependence can be an oppressor, but independence is our liberator. Rangatahi challenged us to think outside of the scope of Government, take stock of the resources and relationships we have within our control and to be aspirational in our walking into the future.
– Nā, Raniere Pene
Kaihoe Waka – Whānau share their insights on Hui-aa-motu
‘The picture is of Ngā Puhi coming on to Turangawaewae, if you were there YK! The young man on the far right is Croatia Rudolph. He is in our regional youth council for VOYCE. He is dynamic, he is loyal, he is mana, he is him. The more I watched him on Saturday, I was affected by the kupu ‘’confidence” and how do we build, support, and lead that for our young people. So, they/us all feel this and can stand in the front row of Ngā Puhi.’
– Nā, Briarley Birch
‘A highlight was the unapologetic attitude that everyone brought to the conversation, the courage, the aroha, and the determination to begin transformative change for all Māori. The Mana Māori Motuhake.
Part of that was listening to a group of our whānau turi and they were asking question in Taakiritia te reo about how we keep our deaf whānau included (because to no surprise Māori are the highest proportion of deaf in Aotearoa) as it’s their language too. Quite a thought.
I see this being of great benefit if we can all work towards a shared vision or goal.
I think that was the undertone of all the kōrero and how we can be unapologetically Māori, while we continue to grow that within our own takiwa, for our iwi, with our iwi and hapu tautoko. This will take time and many many kōrero back home, back on the marae.
My hope is that it creates iwi and hapu conversations that can lead into these other nationwide hui for a national strategy that aims for a few things as a nation, as He Whakaputanga determined and Te Tiriti promised us.
Koina aku, I also got a pic with Tā Timoti Karetu, so I was wrapped.’
– Nā Atarau Hamilton
