KEY POINTS:
It all ended on a rather non-traditional note, as the folk from Waiariki line-danced on the cleared floor of the wharekai.
As it does so well, the Maori Party was thumbing its nose at Labour's Maori MPs before its annual hui even began by holding it on Omahu Marae, in Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia's own electorate - Ikaroa-Rawhiti.
There were those there who generally wear their activism stripes proudly - Ken Mair and MP Hone Harawira.
But the only flagpole climbing was by Tariana Turia's wonderfully mischievous granddaughter, dressed in pink, who - bored with the powhiri - scaled one of the smaller poles on the marae with great alacrity and beamed proudly down at the goings-on.
Hone Harawira said not a squeak in public, and any public talk of activism about the police raids was restricted to Maori lawyer Moana Jackson - the guest speaker at the hui - telling people to recommit to revolution by writing to the Human Rights Commission.
The only placard on display was with a group on a traffic island with a felt-tipped sign reading "Free the Maori".
One man had terrorist attacks of a different kind on his mind.
He sidled up and declared the media had missed the scoop of the week - that George W. Bush was responsible for the attacks on the World Trade Centre.
It was all there on a website, he said. It must be true.
After the hui ended, he handed over a DVD with all the proof on it, he said.
This was in the main a serious, and businesslike affair for about 80 members and delegates - a chance for the Maori Party, like any other, to gloat, to take digs at opponents and take the mickey.
It was a chance to look back, to talk of whakapapa and tikanga, to quote Martin Luther King and talk about Tuhoe prophet Rua Kenana.
It was also a chance for a small party heading into its second election to take its pulse.
Policies, candidates and funds were the big three - all essential for taking the three extra Maori electorate seats from Labour.
So Tariana Turia made a plea for hard work on fundraising, calling for its 22,000 members to make donations of $1 a week or $5 a month and noting "it is well known we live off the smell of an oily rag, and I'm not talking about Molotov cocktails".
Pita Sharples told delegates the three seats were essential for the Maori Party.
In his usual unambiguous manner, he pleaded for care in choosing candidates: "and don't pick dumb people".
"No, we've already got our quota of dumb people in there" one wit retorted.
With the fourth annual meeting over, it was time to eat.
Hard talk requires satisfied puku.
