KEY POINTS:
Tame Iti's press conference at Waitangi was a case of preaching to the converted.
Droves of supporters came to listen to Iti, who was arrested on October 15 as part of the police terrorism raids. He still faces charges in relation to the operation.
He wouldn't say much about what happened during the raids because of his court case but he did touch on it.
"They had to send a squad there to kill me. It's not very nice."
Instead, he said he wanted to focus on the issue of mana motuhake and tino rangatiratanga - something people shouldn't be afraid of.
It was already happening around the world, and England and Ireland were examples.
"It's not about creating a separate state and society," he said.
"We can't afford to be deaf and blind because we're not. We need to open their eyes and see mana motuhake is something beautiful - it's for you and me and the future.
"It's not something we should be afraid of."
That issue was more important than the relationship between the Maori Party and any other coalition partner, he said.
Calls of "Kia ora Tame. That's right. We support you," punctuated his speech.
Iti was flanked by his son Toi who said the ramifications of his dad being branded a terrorist were huge.
His dad was now the "bogeyman" someone people needed to be "scared of".
And while Iti was calm and collected, his lawyer Annette Sykes launched a tirade against the media who she said were self-serving. More intelligent reporting was needed, she said.
But the people she blasted were the same people she asked for money to help support Tame Iti's legal case.
Throughout the conference members of the strongly supportive crowd walked up to Iti and dropped donations.
Ms Sykes said there was no mistake that the money was needed - Iti's court battle would be the longest in the nation's history.
