Again, he travelled to Geneva to engage the League of Nations – predecessor to the United Nations. There he learned that the global halls of power were not “ready to hear our voices”, yet his image and story sits in induction materials for all indigenous rangatahi who travel to the United Nations.
Te Pati Maori co-leader Rawiri Waititi responding to the gallery during a waiata. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Before Rātana was the prophet Papahurihia of Te Taitokerau, who warned: “Kauaka rā Te Tiriti o Waitangi e ūhia ki te haki o Ingārangi.” In doing so, Papahurihia left a sharp lesson and reminder about the importance of defending Te Tiriti from the threat of takeover; that the ambitions of another people for our lands will always remain a permanent threat to be guarded against.
Meanwhile, Te Kooti would also receive a visionary warning about the future role and place of Te Tiriti in Aotearoa. That nightmare which awoke him from his sleep is captured in his lament: “Kāore Nei Te Pō e Mōrikarika Noa” (“The Night Is Not Just a Night”).
To guard against these warnings by our prophets, generations of Māori people and leaders have built-up protections – many of these institutional and supported by legislation.
Over 60 years of strides and gains made through the Māori reawakening of the 1970s, legislated away in less than 24 months under this coalition Government.
Political year 2026
Restoring those arrangements axed away by this coalition Government is obvious but perhaps insufficient. The first step toward permanently securing the role and place of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in Aotearoa is through entrenchment across all legislation.
Te Pāti Māori co-leaders Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer at Waitangi in Northland.
Te Pāti Māori plans to restore, enhance and introduce new mechanisms that hold the Crown accountable under Te Tiriti, including through the establishment of a new Te Tiriti commissioner to oversee entrenchment.
Election Day is nearing. But as politicians begin to jockey for the finish-line, whānau continue to struggle on the bread-line. So then, what does Te Tiriti have to do with say, the cost of living?
Simply, an Aotearoa Hou based on Te Tiriti and a New Zealand that is not is the difference between everybody having something and only some people having almost everything.
Like the marae, Te Pāti Māori believes in an Aotearoa Hou where all people will be fed, housed, cared for and protected – because Aotearoa is a marae; a permanent home and place for all peoples to stand.
Hinerupe Marae on the East Coast has been a refuge for whānau who have had to move from their homes.
An Aotearoa Hou premised on Te Tiriti is a fundamental promise of equity for all people. Our people continue to march on hungry stomachs because they believe.
It is this sense of belief that launched waka across the largest ocean on the planet, survived colonisation and returned Te Pāti Māori back to Parliament.
Right now, whānau, hapū and communities are rising to the challenge of supporting those who have been impacted by severe weather events. Te Pāti Māori urges equity in the Government’s official emergency services response – ensuring that no person or community is left behind.
That even through our darkest moments, people can depend on an Aotearoa Hou where all are fed, housed, cared for and protected.
Rawiri Waititi is the co-leader of Te Pāti Māori.