Tim Howard: It's we who owe Maori true respect

Kingi Taurua.

"We have a lot of history to overcome if we want to move beyond being a colonising people and enter into the sort of relationship that tangata whenua invited us through the Treaty agreement." Susan Healy, Joan Cook Memorial Essay 2013

A recent supplied opinion piece in the Northern Advocate called for more respect for non-Maori views, implying Government did not represent the 'non-Maori' side of the Treaty agreement. The writer also claimed massive amounts were handed over as Treaty Settlement compensation, suggesting Government claw back services provided to Maori. The implication was "Maori owe us."

The reality is different. Nationwide, Treaty settlements are capped at $1bn - the cost of one frigate, perhaps. South Canterbury Finance was bailed out for some $1.75bn. So-called 'settlements' are worth about 1 per cent of the lost value of lands and taonga illegally taken from claimant groups.

'Settlement' negotiations are painful affairs. Maori negotiators and their people have to weigh up current day desperate need, on one hand, against selling off the rights of future generations.

Still, tangata whenua generally have a gracious approach in these engagements.

It's worth considering the beginnings of the relationship between Maori hapu and the Crown. From at least 1807, rangatira from around Taitokerau and beyond met annually, in part to organise themselves in relating to the new world. The structure and processes of these gatherings are called Te Wakaminenga. Through Hongi Hika and Waikato's visit to London in 1820, a formal (and a personal) relationship was established between Te Wakaminenga and George IV and his successors.

That relationship led to English recognition of Te Wakaminenga and of Maori authority in these lands. And in turn, with Te Tiriti o Waitangi, to rangatira allowing the Crown's representative a place among them, with a limited authority to govern and represent the new settlers.

As the Nga Puhi claimants evidenced, and as the government-established Waitangi Tribunal concluded, in declaring He Wakaputanga (known as the Declaration of Independence) and in signing Te Tiriti o Waitangi, the whanau, hapu and iwi in Taitokerau did not cede sovereignty.

Unilateral Crown sovereignty was later seized by representatives of non-Maori, to benefit the newcomers right down to our generation. The values and institutions of non-Maori have dominated all our arrangements. The powerful and tragic evidence later presented to the Waitangi Tribunal in the Stage Two hearings shows the impact of dishonouring that Tiriti agreement on the whanau and hapu of the north. Tangata whenua over 175 years have continued to struggle to see the relationship honoured.

Now that opens up questions for us all. For Nga Puhi and for Government, for local authorities and media and educators and healthworkers. And for each of us, for people of goodwill, in our communities.

I prefer the term 'tangata tiriti' to 'non-Maori'. We gained a foothold in these lands by means of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. We would do well to respect the original agreement, notably to honour the fact tangata whenua - at least, those who signed Te Tiriti in Taitokerau - did not hand over their mana and authority to govern themselves to anyone else.

We would do well to match the graciousness of tangata whenua. To work towards being, in Mitzi Nairn's words, "the Pakeha that the rangatira thought they were signing Te Tiriti with". Honourable people. And that's a call to us all to build that relationship. With respect. We owe our hosts at least that.

- Tim Howard is a Whangarei-based community development worker, with Northland Urban Rural Mission.