The annual Rātana hui, or meeting, provides a valuable opportunity for dialogue for political leaders and members of the Māori community. Amidst growing concerns over contentious government policies and efforts to potentially rewrite the Treaty of Waitangi, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters, and a government delegation recently visited Rātana Pā, a significant gathering place for Māori leadership.
Rātana is historically seen as the beginning of the political year and commemorates the late founder of the Rātana Church, Tahupōtiki Wiremu Rātana. Founded in 1925, the Rātana movement is a church and pan-iwi (all iwi/tribes) political movement, with longstanding ties to the Labour Party after its founder collaborated with former Prime Minister Michael Joseph Savage in 1936. The annual hui serves as a platform for politicians from all parties to address Māori issues, while members of the Māori community nationwide convey their perspectives.
Although the government chose to forego the hui called by King Tuheitia last weekend, the Rātana gathering has traditionally been attended by politicians, necessitating the presence of leaders such as Mr. Luxon and Mr. Peters. However, the leader of the third party in the coalition, David Seymour of ACT, has declined to attend, citing Waitangi Day as the true beginning of the political year. ACT is the party whose coalition agreement with National sought the introduction of a Bill to redefine the Treaty of Waitangi’s interpretation, which neither of the other two parties has committed to beyond its initial reading.
NZ First leader Mr. Peters clarified that his attendance at Rātana was to celebrate rather than engage in political debate, a statement that elicited boos from some attendees. However, he emphasized that his role was to celebrate Rātana, not to engage in political discussion. Rahui Papa of the Tainui iwi welcomed the government onto the marae and expressed hope for a more inclusive approach from Mr. Luxon’s administration. He acknowledged the concerns within the Māori community regarding certain policies, such as the abolition of the Māori health authority, stressing the need for unity and self-determination in Māoridom.
Despite disagreements between the government and Māori, Mr. Papa emphasized the importance of respecting Te Tiriti o Waitangi and warned against any attempts to meddle with it. He stated that Māori have been discussing these matters for centuries and that they will not passively witness any interference with the Treaty. Additionally, opposition Labour leader Chris Hipkins criticized the coalition government for excluding non-Māori from consultations on policy changes, asserting that such actions would only perpetuate racism and expressing the need to hold the government accountable.