Aotearoa’s Indigenous Rights: Tino Rangatiratanga and the Treaty of Waitangi

The debate over tino rangatiratanga, or self-determination for Māori, has been a contentious issue in New Zealand politics. The proposed amendment to the Treaty of Waitangi aims to recognize Māori as the tangata whenua, or indigenous people, of Aotearoa. However, not everyone is in agreement with this proposal.

Background

The Treaty of Waitangi, signed in 1840, granted Māori control over their land and sovereignty. But despite its promise, the treaty has been consistently breached by the New Zealand government. Today, many Māori people feel that their rights are still being ignored.

Māori Perspective

Tino rangatiratanga is about recognizing Māori as the indigenous people of Aotearoa. According to Te Ngahue, a prominent Māori leader, “tino rangatiratanga is about helping everyone.” She believes that granting tino rangatiratanga would provide better solutions and fix things that are objectively undeniably broken in the system.

Te Ngahue argues that tino rangatiratanga is not about creating a separate nation for Māori, but rather about recognizing their rights as equal citizens of Aotearoa. She stated, “You’re not going to be disadvantaged in society. That’s never going to happen. Tino rangatiratanga is good for everyone and nobody misses out on anything.”

ACT Party Criticism

However, the ACT Party has criticized Te Ngahue’s interpretation of tino rangatiratanga. David Seymour, leader of the ACT Party, expressed his disagreement with her video, saying, “If you want to disagree with me, that’s fine, but you’ve got to explain how it’s going to work to have a society based on two different types of people…when actually there isn’t two types of people, there are just human beings.”

Seymour argued that the current system is already fair and equal for all New Zealanders under law in Aotearoa. He also questioned the necessity of tino rangatiratanga, saying, “What is good for everyone is good for Māori.” However, Te Ngahue countered that this statement was a lie, pointing out that Māori have poorer prison statistics, state care outcomes, and suicide rates compared to non-Māori.

Hīkoi Protests

The debate over tino rangatiratanga has been reflected in recent protests. The Hīkoi mō Te Tiriti, or the Hikoi for the Treaty, brought together Māori from across Aotearoa to protest against the proposed amendment. The protesters demanded that the government respect Māori rights and recognize their sovereignty.

Conclusion

The debate over tino rangatiratanga is a complex issue with deep historical roots. While some, like Te Ngahue, believe that recognizing Māori as the indigenous people of Aotearoa would provide better solutions for all New Zealanders, others, like David Seymour, argue that the current system is already fair and equal. Ultimately, it is up to the government to decide what course of action to take on this issue.

As Te Ngahue so eloquently put it, “Tino rangatiratanga is not scary. It’s good for everyone and nobody misses out on anything.” The future of tino rangatiratanga hangs in the balance, and it remains to be seen how New Zealand politics will address this critical issue.