The Government and Labour lined up to pay their respects to Dame Tariana Turia who died on Friday.
The Government and Labour lined up to pay their respects to Dame Tariana Turia who died on Friday.
Opinion by Cale Silich
Cale Silich has a law degree and is a an Investment Manager, for Te Aupouri Commercial Development Limited
Dame Tariana Turia’s tangi at a Whanganui marae restricted speeches to te reo Māori, excluding three Prime Ministers.
Shane Jones criticised the selective application of tikanga, highlighting tensions over language use at marae.
The event raised questions about inclusivity and the application of tikanga in political and community contexts.
Tikanga Māori interrupted our New Year holiday. Our social media feeds announced that Dame Tariana Turia had died, and her tangi was to be held on a Whanganui marae.
That meant there was scarcity of political news guaranteed and the media reportage of these proceedings.
It had a common theme, determination and respect. Both iwi and parliamentarians travelled to honour her and the whānau as she lay in state.
However, because of tikanga, Māori language speeches only were permitted – effectively banning Luxon, Hipkins and English from speaking and paying their respects. This was an insult to the office they held.
Parliament might recognise their English-speaking credentials, but not in Whanganui apparently.
Strangely, this ban was relaxed for a Fijian elder to address the gathering in his native tongue. Presumably the Melanesian language was a statement of Pacific solidarity as opposed to accommodating our own political leadership. And also for former National MP Alfred Ngaro, who spoke Cook Islands Māori – which is similar to te reo Māori.
Pictured at front, Labour leader Chris Hipkins (left), Prime Minister Christopher Luxon (centre) and deputy National Party leader Nicola Willis (right) arrive for a pōwhiri at Whangaehu Marae during Dame Tariana Turia’s tangi. Photo / Michael Tweed
As is usual in a tangi paepae kōrero, the final orator presents the koha on behalf of the visitors to the marae. This task fell to seasoned marae speaker NZ First MP, Shane Jones. Maybe it was the weather, boredom or a need to needle, but the northern wind stirred as usual.
He called out the hosts for a selective application of marae tikanga and called them out for offending the political delegation. He wondered why Hipkins, Luxon and especially Sir Bill English – who had a wonderful relationship with Turia – was not afforded the opportunity to pay their respects.
Turia’s whānau had wanted the trio to speak. How often would three Prime Ministers turn up at a tangi? But for whatever reason, this was not conveyed to the manuhiri (visitors).
NZ First MP Shane Jones during his speech at Rātana Pā, in January last year. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Challenges are made on the paepae – like when Ngāti Whātua Ōrakei told Tainui to take their koha and put it somewhere close to their jumper when they turned up for Matatini.
Back to Turia’s tangi. No one from the Whangaehu Marae paepae jumped up, demanded an apology or delivered a haka against his criticism.
The orators knew such a response would encourage more charged contributions. The marae threw out a challenge to the visiting MPs. They expected all to grin and bear. Jones did not get that memo.
Most whānau events are known for their flexibility. More recently there has been a tendency to deny marae speaking opportunities to English-speaking Māori.
I do not speak te reo – neither didTuria. Her view was te reo was the language and the voice of Māori.
A case in point was when ministers attended the Rotorua tangi for the last Māori Battalion soldier, Sir Robert “Bom” Gillies. An English speaker from Te Tai Tokerau was told to sit down. This led to sharp exchanges with, no surprises, Jones again.
Tikanga practices are not immune from challenge. They are stronger when they are debated. Using them to make political mileage, makes them vulnerable. A lesson easily overlooked by true believers. It may be said that in the case of tikanga, it is a case of “when in Rome, do as the Romans do”.
It may be a useful reminder that the Roman Empire fell as a result of challenges from within and without, but ultimately, ignorance of itself.
Waitangi celebrations in Te Tai Tokerau often park tikanga up as MPs are harangued during their political speeches. Luxon might be absent this year, but Winston Peters and his deputy Jones will be present. Good luck lecturing him on tikanga fitness.
There are many instances where English speakers contribute at tangihanga. Whanganui feathers may have been ruffled but why was tikanga rigidly applied against the three PMs? Who actually makes these tikanga determinations? How did the tangata whenua take account of mana-enhancing principles in their Whangaehu veto? Given that many whānau do not speak te reo but still attend marae functions, what message was intended?
From personal experience, I know recovering te reo after multi-generational disconnection is taxing. For many whānau, it is a deep reconnection that is aided by mutual respect and dedication. Māori language acquisition in Aotearoa is still not the done thing.
Māori are always adapting. Look no further than kapa haka performances. Outdated rules are ignored, creativity needs scope to expand. Tikanga ought to reflect abiding values that are inclusive.
Local government ceremonies often involve iwi input. Māori want to see waiata, mihi and karakia embraced as a part of civic culture. However, reciprocity and reasonableness must be integral. Surely community events should be comprehensible. A tikanga that keeps the audience continually in the dark is not unifying.
Cale Silich.
Turia made a huge contribution to Māori and the life of Parliament. For this service she was made a Dame. One should ask: whose agenda was being served in Whangaehu when our PMs were muted?
She supported Whānau Ora, whānau resilience. This is a forward-leaning mission. Like all social empowerment, it requires a mix of incentive and stoicism. Growth and reliance will be enhanced by a common-sense application of tikanga.
Exclusivity leads to narrowness and intolerance. The very thing that Act leader David Seymour stands accused of. Let us not make the same mistake on our marae.
