Biggest cheers for hikoi's pin-up girl

By RUTH BERRY, RENEE KIRIONA, HELEN TUNNAH and JON STOKES

Buffeted by gales, pelted by freezing rain, ignored by the Prime Minister, but boosted by chants and haka, thousands of marchers crammed into Parliament grounds yesterday in a remarkable display of unity over the foreshore and seabed.

In the middle of it all was Tariana Turia, the hikoi's pin-up girl, with her face dotted on placards throughout the crowd.

Mrs Turia was seen as a heroine by many marchers, after last week putting her political career on the line over the legislation.

The MP, who is about to leave Labour, called the hikoi "a ritual of healing and empowerment", working the crowd by talking of the blood of their ancestors.

Mrs Turia told the crowd "we must have meaningful Maori political representation and we must have it now".

"The next hikoi will be the one to the ballot box."

The power and emotion of thousands of Maori, from every iwi, defiant under one banner, spread through Wellington's city streets, with warriors making challenges along the capital's normally traffic-filled Lambton Quay.

It was a spectacular arrival for the hikoi which began with 250 people at Cape Reinga last month and ended with about 20,000 participants and spectators in the forecourt of Parliament.

Feathered cloaks, banners, and Maori sovereignty flags mingled with the grey business suits of Parliament watched over by a line of policemen.

Curious city workers were drawn to watch the spectacle, with urban Maori mingling with rural Maori, and conservatives standing shoulder to shoulder with radicals.

Sarah Lawrey was moved by the sights and sounds echoing across the shop fronts and offices.

"It is a sad day for New Zealand. It feels like the whites are on the side of the street while Maori walk down the middle."

She said the protest made her appreciate that the issue had been badly handled by the Government.

"It did not have to come to this."

"One, two, three, four, Parekura cross the floor" the marchers chanted along with the familiar "Aotearoa is Maori land, come on Pakeha give us a hand."

Northlander Kauri Wihongi could barely believe his eyes.

"They're all here," he said, stunned. "Every tribe in New Zealand is here."

And so it seemed. Ngai Tahu, read one banner. Ngati Kahu, Ngati Hine, Ngati Tuwharetoa, tribe after tribe after tribe bonding where before there had been division.

Arch-activist Titewhai Harawira sat hand-in-hand with moderate Sir Graham Latimer, urban Maori stood shoulder-to-shoulder with those from rural tribes.

National MP Georgina te Heuheu was surprised to spot two of her aunties from Turangi among the protesters.

"We're normally a pretty conservative lot, but they're out there," she said.

"You've got Maori who are normally regarded as conservative here with others regarded as quite activist, and even some radicals.

"I reckon that is a pretty solid sort of a coming together."

In the midst of the protest there came memorable sights: a protester and a Maori policeman performing a hongi.

Inventive placards included: Buck for PM, Your Shrek is in our boilup, and Trespassers will be eaten, foreshore. Other signs depicted Helen Clark as Helen Mugabe, responsible for a land grab, and some bore the faces of Labour's Maori men and said "shame".

Cheers broke out as Mrs Turia finished her speech, and many of the marchers wept as she moved among them, embracing and doing the hongi.

An elderly Maori woman who was swept off her feet by the wind described the weather as being the arrival of Tawhirimatea [the god of the weather in Maori folklore] and the tears of her ancestors.

The hikoi arrived about 12.30pm, the white flag of the Dame Whina Cooper land march in 1975 and the purple uniforms of the Ratana band to the fore.

Titewhai Harawira travelled in a car, adorned with a tiny tino rangatiratanga flag, at the front of the hikoi as it made its way to Parliament.

Aucklander Pita Sharples led a 100-strong kapa haka group behind her.

The Government's Maori MPs, with Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen and Progressives leader Jim Anderton together with local iwi representatives, braved a ferocious welcome.

Representatives of successive tribes addressed the MPs, attacking the foreshore legislation and demanding the Government show some respect.

The visible anger was directed at the Maori MPs.

Tuhoe's Tame Iti spat in the direction of the group, reaching several of his targets.

Mrs Turia and Nanaia Mahuta, who have opposed the bill, were repeatedly praised and thanked for their courage, with one speaker saying "kei a korua te raho [you two are the ones with balls].

Ngati Porou's Tommy Te Maro told Dr Cullen the partnership envisaged in the treaty had never happened and it was time "to sit around the table together".

"And tell Helen [Clark] it's a pity she's not here."

Some tribes brought kete full of sand which was sprinkled at the feet of the Government MPs.

Hauraki presented Parekura Horomia with a copy of its 1869 petition to the Government which asserted then its ownership of its foreshore and seabed.

Ironically Mrs Turia, who will resign from Labour next week, struggled to be heard when she first mounted a truck to address the crowd, because it was too busy booing Mr Horomia making his exit.

Ngati Kahungunu's Moana Jackson praised the courage of those who had turned up and said of Helen Clark "you seek to wreck the heart of our people and you have no right to do this".

Acting Wellington district commander Detective Inspector Rod Drew said the crowd was passionate but there were "no real problems and no arrests".

- Additional reporting: NZPA