#Māori rights

[xclowniex]

So if you are not from NZ, you may not be aware, but the Act party, one of 3 parties in government, is wanting to up haul Te Tiriti O Waitangi, our founding document to redefine what it means, with a new bill called the treaty bill.

Their reasoning behind this is that everyone should have equal rights, and we need to stop giving Māori "extra rights".

And whilst I do agree with the fact that everyone should have equal rights, which we already do have, equal rights are a separate thing to reparations and fixing the wrongs of the past, as well as making sure everyone has equal outcomes, which is what those "extra rights" are.

The Māori Health Authority which the government has gotten rid of, existed to help better the health outcomes from Māori as they have the worst health outcomes out of our population. This was not some fancy new fangled thing which have Māori so much more benefits than the Healthcare system for the rest of the country, it was there to have Māori health outcomes reflect the same level that other ethnicities have here in Aotearoa.

The bill also wants to get rid of Māori seats in councils. It has already been changed so councils recently could vote if they want to get rid of them, and some have whilst others have kept them. Maori seats are mandatory seats in council, which means that Māori are always represented in local councils.

This part counts as self governance, which was promised in te tiriti. Changing this, changes a major part of te tiriti which Act party is claiming its not doing. This is not Māori having more rights, it is part of reparations, allowing Māori to have a voice in what happens with the land taken from them.

Those are just two things which the bill will implement.

Whilst the National party and NZ first party, the two other parties in government have voiced that they don't support the bill, actions have already been taken which implement aspects of the bill prior to the bill being read. The other parties in opposition have also voiced that they do not support the bill.

The government has also played dirty.

There was meant to be a peaceful protest, going from different parts of the country to parliment, planned for when the bill was originally supposed to be proposed and potentially have a first reading, in 2ish weeks. The bill was moved up to today.

This undermines the Waitangi Tribunal, which is a Tribunal that protects the rights of Maori which was preparing a case to prevent the proposal of the bill. The change of the proposal of the bill means that the Waitangi tribunal can't do anything. And this isn't the first time this has happened this year.

It is incredibly disgusting what this government is doing to Māori.

[averagecygnet-blog]

kia ora gay people

my go at a takatāpui flag!! <3 <3 <3 <3

takatāpui is a te reo māori term that traditionally means "intimate partner of the same sex" but has in modern times been reclaimed by queer māoris of various identities. before colonization it was totally normal and accepted for māori people to have partners of the same sex or to transition their gender; british colonization brought homophobia and transphobia along with suppression of many other aspects of māori culture. in the 1980s, māori members of the lgbtq+ community started using the term takatāpui to mean queer/lgbtq+

I only recently found out about this term and already it means a lot to me... I didn't grow up in aotearoa and there are literally no māori people where I live so it's hard sometimes to feel connected w my heritage. and also I live in a conservative area and my family is christian as hell so it can be hard to feel connected to the lgbtq+ community too. which is to say, I'm glad to now have the word takatāpui connecting me to my queer māori whānau <3 <3

there is no official takatāpui flag, but I came up w this one, combining the rainbow flag and trans flag w the māori flag. if ur takatāpui hmu lets be friends!!! and if u use my flag pls tag me <3

[foxglovevibes]

As a Māori woman, seeing all these idiots talking out of their ass about how the incredible Haka performed in protest, started MP Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke and continued by the rest of Te Pāti Māori, in the chambers of parliament this past week, saying how it was "unprofessional" and "cringe", I just have to say:

You lot don't seem to think it's fucking "cringe" when the All Blacks do it before a rugby match.

Anytime I see footage covering Haka performed before rugby, I see how people all like to harp on about how Haka is meant to be a call to arms, a declaration of war and challenge to opponents when being met across the field of battle.

And yet.

The very second it's being utilised as it was always intended to be, in an unbelievably crucial time in our country's recent history, you all turn your noses up. You all start talking absolute fucking horseshit simply because it isn't being used in a way that's convenient for you, because it isn't being given to you in the microdoses you like to delight in for some cultural exposure.

And it all boils down to the fact that we are simply done with giving you to option to turn away, to give us a false sense of empathy and interest. Boils down to how Māori are challenging you to truly LOOK. To SEE. And UNDERSTAND just what this all means. And if you can't handle seeing how we are undaunted in our unending fight to be heard in the land that is rightfully ours, how unafraid we are to draw strength from our culture, our people and the stories of our ancestors that have survived countless attempts to be washed away?

Then you know that this challenge is meant for YOU.

[xclowniex]

Literally this.

The only spontaneity was that Hana wasn't the MP which was supposed to rip up the bill and lead the haka, it was Rawiti. But the bill ended up being put in front of Hana.

This was planned sooooo much in advance.

Even the hikoi protesting the bill was planned so much in advance, that the government changed the date of the proposal and first reading off the bill to fuck over those who had planned the hikoi and also the Waitangi tribunal who planned to make a case against the bill.

There was so much planning and coordinating with everything, that it is the largest single protest NZ has either ever had or in decades (depends on the numbers as different news outlets report different numbers of attendance).

It was honestly so cool and amazing to watch out of the window. I wish I could have attended but I needed to save my leave for when my sister gives birth.

I think there's something very frustrating about how so many activist events, like the haka in the New Zealand parliament, are brushed off as spontaneous acts of passion instead of carefully planned and coordinated efforts. I see it a lot of with indigenous activists especially, and it feels like a lot of people lean on that idea because they like the romantic idea of activism being spontaneous passion but it's incredibly infantalizing to ignore the efforts that these activists and protestors and politicians put into making these things happen, making their voices heard and preparing their communities and allies to stand as a united front when it's time.

[guerrillatech]

Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clark addresses a crowd on the steps of Paremata

[antiestablishmentaf]

“just a few things that justice requires of Tangata Tiriti:

1. Be tau (at peace) with your position. You need to be able to speak frankly about the process of colonization that created the space for you to be here in Aotearoa. Not ridden with guilt, and not trying to explain it or evade it, but ready to respond to the legacy of that story. Be aware of your own privilege that has descended down to you by virtue of that process. Even in describing your own class, gender, ability or sexuality based oppression, you should know how the legacy of colonization influences your experience of that oppression.

2. Respect boundaries. So much space has been taken from us, so primarily you need to respect our boundaries where we lay them down. Don’t argue with us when we insist on our own spaces. Don’t make it about your hurt feelings, or your need for inclusion. Don’t paint it as divisive. If you are mourning the space we have just reclaimed for ourselves, be comforted by the fact that pretty much the entire rest of the world is either yours, or shared with you. We require safe spaces to speak, just us. That will also require you to self identify and self vacate at times. Be proactive. Read the room. Remove yourself out of consideration for the space we need to safely continue a conversation.

3. Be prepared to make sacrifice. If you understand the story of privilege that has shaped Aotearoa you will understand there has been a mass transfer of power. Justice cannot be restored without addressing the power imbalance.

If you are only interested in discussing the past but not responding to it, then you are of no use to the process of restoring justice, and I do have to question whether you are really adverse to racism and the benefits you enjoy from it.

This will mean learning the art of saying no. No to sitting on panels on Indigenous issues. No to occupying roles and positions where you are paid to impart (and judge) Indigenous knowledge. No to opportunities where systemic failings allow you to accept funding to lead Indigenous projects.

4. There will be many spaces where your voice will be valued. Speaking to your fellow pākeha about being good Tangata Tiriti. Discussing what it means to be pākeha. Dispelling fear of decolonization. There is a perverse situation right now where pakeha do not want to do the work on themselves, but they DO want to do the work of telling Maori how to be Maori. Because the system supports this kind of behaviour, you wind up with Maori supplementing the workload, and spending way too much time teaching pakeha about their Tiriti responsibilities, rather than working with our own (which we’d much rather do). There is an important space for Tangata Tiriti right now, and it’s not teaching Maori – it’s working with each other on how to reckon with the historical injustice of their establishment, and what to DO about that, now.

5. Stand with us for our language rights, for our health rights, for the rights of our children and women and stop perceiving Indigenous rights abuses as an Indigenous problem, rather than a colonial inevitability.

6. Benchmark the discomfort of your decolonization experience against that of our colonization experience, every time you want to ask us to wait...

7. Understand that learning our content and knowing our experience are two different things. For this reason we do want you to learn, and lead, your own karakia and waiata… But that does not equate to permission to explain our own culture to us. Remember, boundaries. Learning the reo is not your get out of Treaty free card.

8. Don’t expect us to know everything about Te Ao Māori or have our own identity journey sorted out for you. Colonization has made, and is still making a mess of our identity, and our relationships, and that is difficult enough without having to explain ourselves to you. Especially when you have yet to do the hard work on your own identity as pakeha.

9. Nothing is automatically a 2 way street. I, for instance, can talk frankly about what a good Tangata Tiriti looks like. Tangata Tiriti cannot tell me what being a “good” Tangata Whenua is. This requires you to learn well beyond Treaty/Tiriti articles, or provisions, or principles. Privilege. Power. Bias. Racism. Learn how these operate in the context of Tiriti justice and you will get a better idea of how to navigate relationships as a Tangata Tiriti beyond the very flawed “anti-racism means treating everyone the same” fallacy.

10. Don’t expect backpats or thankyous. You may get them (in fact you probably will – it’s another product of our colonial experience that pakeha are thanked and recognized for doing Tiriti justice work much more than Māori), but it’s important you realise that justice work is as much for yourself as it is for anyone else. It’s self-improvement, and improvement of your children’s future. You’re not doing me favours that you aren’t also doing yourself.”

[fwitolei]

This just feels so POWERFUL i have mad respect for these people

much better footage of the haka that shut down parliament today

[desn512teariniroberts]

Wāhine Toi Aotearoa Poster Analysis: Poster 1 & 2

Poster 1: TANGATA WHENUA

This poster designed by Huriana Kopeke-Te Aho was primarily designed for Māori, feminist and activist audience. This design represents the connection between the whenua and wāhine. Sina Brown-Davis' quote underlines whenua as both land and placenta, highlighting the key role of wāhine Māori in society.

Illustration of a Māori women is used as the focal point to symbolise strength, mana, and empowerment. The symbolism of whakapapa, awa and connection to land is shown through the white flowing path. The use of only two colours creates a bold contrast making it eye-catching and easy to read. The use of all-caps sans serif font makes the message bold and clear.

Poster 2: IHUMĀTAO

This poster was also designed by Huriana Kopeke-Te Aho and the target audience primarily consists of Māori, feminist and activist. This poster brings attention to Ihumātao a vital land struggle in modern Māori history.

The use of red and white highlights the urgency and impact. The typography being all-caps symbolises charge and power. The simple illustration of the flag and pou indicates resistance. The use of repetition, contrast and symbolism makes the posters message clear.

Relevance to my future work:

This aligns with my focus of strong and impactful visual storytelling, it's simple and deeply connected to my Māori culture and identity.

Reference:

TANGATA WHENUA, by H. Kopeke - Te Aho, Present Tense: Wāhine Toi Aotearoa, Designers Speak up (2019) Retrieved 14 March 2025 from https://designersspeakup.nz/present-tense-gallery/

IHUMĀTAO, by H. Kopeke - Te Aho, Present Tense: Wāhine Toi Aotearoa, Designers Speak up (2019) Retrieved 14 March 2025 from https://designersspeakup.nz/present-tense-gallery/

[words-and-coffee]

Alice Te Punga Somerville, Always Italicise: How to Write While Colonised - Kupu rere kē

[ID: A poem titled: Kupu rere kē. [in italics] My friend was advised to italicise all the foreign words in her poems. This advice came from a well-meaning woman with NZ poetry on her business card and an English accent in her mouth. I have been thinking about this advice. The convention of italicising words from other languages clarifies that some words are imported: it ensures readers can tell the difference between a foreign language and the language of home. I have been thinking about this advice. Marking the foreign words is also a kindness: every potential reader is reassured that although you're expected to understand the rest of the text, it's fine to consult a dictionary or native speaker for help with the italics. I have been thinking about this advice. Because I am a contrary person, at first I was outraged — but after a while I could see she had a point: when the foreign words are camouflaged in plain type you can forget how they came to be there, out of place, in the first place. I have been thinking about this advice and I have decided to follow it. Now all of my readers will be able to remember which words truly belong in -[end italics]- Aotearoa -[italics]- and which do not.

Next image is the futurama meme: to shreds you say...]

(Image ID by @bisexualshakespeare)

[alwaystochocolate]

This is a powerful performance of the Ka Mate haka, a traditional Māori dance composed by Ngāti Toa rangatira Te Rauparaha - it's internationally known because the All Blacks (national Aotearoa rugby team) perform it before games.

When you watch this, please also understand its context.

The ramification of Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke leading this haka was censure and a temporary suspension.

Expressing her outrage and challenging the injustice of the Treaty Principles Bill being presented and moving into its first reading - in a traditional Māori way - was deemed a "disgusting" disruption by the Speaker of the House.

This is about a Bill that, alongside other steps that the government has taken over the last year, seeks to undermine Maipi-Clarke's culture, and her language, and her right for self-determination and sovereignty in Aotearoa, and her ancestors' involvement in fighting for these rights.

The Treaty Principles Bill dishonours the decades of hard-won progress that has been made in Aotearoa, and Seymour's talk of "equality" in Aotearoa fails to take into account the multi-generational harms that colonisation has wrought on Māori, the colonial systems which continue to disadvantage Māori, and the institutionalised racism that they have to overcome every day.

I'm pretty darn sure I know what the disgusting thing is here, you know?

If you can, please turn up to the nationwide hīkoi to demonstrate your support for te Tiriti and itks principles.

Pākehā, tauiwi - we are tangata Tiriti. We are here because of te Tiriti. We need to be marching alongside Māori at this hīkoi. This is about all of us.

https://toitutetiriti.co.nz/

Please sign the petition opposing the Treaty Principles Bill. You can do this from anywhere.

https://our.actionstation.org.nz/petitions/kati-stop-the-introduction-of-the-treaty-principles-bill

Please share and amplify the hīkoi organisers' and other Māori voices about what NZ govt's actions mean for our future.

And please keep an eye for the next activations.

te pāti māori haka in response to the first vote on the racist anti māori treaty principles bill introduced to parliament today by david seymour and the act party. toitū te tiriti

[shiverandqueeef]

Rūrangi S1E4 (2020) dir. Max Currie

[merelygifted]

Māori rights protests in New Zealand draw tens of thousands : NPR

[takataapui]

Want to materially support indigenous rights within 10 minutes?

Make a submission against the New Zealand's government's proposed bill that will take away Māori rights. You don't need to be from Aotearoa New Zealand to submit.

You have until 7th January New Zealand time.

FAQ about the bill here, from a trustworthy organisation.

Guide to writing a submission here. (It's more aimed at people based in Aotearoa, but is still valuable.)

Submit here.

Examples of international submissions. Please make it your own, as repeated submissions will not be counted.

In 2025, we should all strive to support indigenous rights, and here's an easy way to do that.

[alwaystochocolate]

If you live in Aotearoa and want to show your support for te Tiriti, your appreciation of this document as foundational for living in respectful relationship with each other, and to protest the govt undermining the Tiriti principles, values, and the tinorangatiratanga of Māori (which they've been doing! In a bunch of ways including the Bill above!).

Please consider joining the hīkoi mō te Tiriti, organised by Toitū te Tiriti.

It is going ahead as planned Nov 10-19 as a nationwide activation, despite David Seymour moving up the timeline for the Treaty Principles Bill being presented (this means the last day of the hīkoi, which ends at Paremata - Parliament - no longer coincides with the day the bill is presented).

Resources:

Kaupapa and where to donate in support of the hīkoi

FB post with each day's schedule to read and share.

Hīkoi organiser quote-focused article for context

Article incl links for more info about the threat that the Treaty Principles Bill presents

Together for Te Tiriti website - lots of resources, info and more actions you can take

I know most of tumblr is thinking about the USA right now. but fuck the nz government right now too. tomorrow, the treaty principles bill, the 'worst, most comprehensive breach of Te Tiriti in modern times' is being introduced to parliament early, because there were activations planned country wide and the cowards decided to pull it forwards. fuck this government. a friend of mine had to go home early, crying. I've been in shock all day since it came out.

check on your Māori friends, e hoa mā. see what they need. see how you can help. everyday, we see and experience racism. from people around us, up to our government. community care will save us.

[mayasaura]

did you see te pati maori declared independence??

I DID NOT! Holy shit! Thanks for the news!

Okay, now reporting back from one research deep-dive, the recent context as I understand it is this:

Last November, a conservative right-wing Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon, assumed office. He's got a lot of less than stellar right-wing policies, and that includes making cuts to the Ministry of Social Development and opposing co-governance with the Waitangi Tribunal and other Māori leadership organisations over the administering of public services such as education, health, and infrastructure. He's been openly critical of Māori seats in Parliament, though he hasn't (yet) opposed them. Over the course of his administration, there's been an initiative to omit or cut mentions of the Treaty of Waitangi, the foundational document of New Zealand that forms the basis of arguments for Māori protections, from official language.

Which brings us to yesterday, May 30th. Budget Day. The day the new administration would announce their first budget and a day of mass action for supporters of te Pāti Māori protesting the treatment of Māori under the new government. I don't have any concrete numbers, but RNZ reports thousands of protestors, while the NZ Herald estimates "tens of thousands" turning out nation-wide, and a walking protest that delayed rush-hour traffic in Auckland for hours.

You may have already guessed that the budget was Bad. As I understand it, the budget effectively cut any kind of targeted funding for Māori health or education, and decreased funding for Māori cultural festivals and celebrations. And again, I cannot stress enough how much I am not an expert on this topic, so there's probably a lot more in there I don't know about.

In response to the new budget, Māori Party MP Rawiri Waititi issued a Declaration of Independence to the New Zealand Parliament, (video of his speech in link) with the support of his fellow te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer.

There doesn't seem to be any concrete plan in place yet for the organisation of the new Māori parliament, but MPs Waititi and Ngarewa-Packer met with protestors to collect signatures for the Declaration, which they plan to bring to a hui taumata (meeting of congress) today, Friday, May 31st. The text of the Declaration can be found on te Pāti Māori website, in the form of a petition. You do not have to be Māori to sign, but I believe you do have to be kiwi.