More than 1000 people had taken part in Hīkoi mō te Tiriti on Monday by the time it hit Kawakawa. Photo / Denise Piper
More than 1000 people had taken part in Hīkoi mō te Tiriti on Monday by the time it hit Kawakawa. Photo / Denise Piper
Protest action to uphold Te Tiriti o Waitangi has made its presence felt in Northland, with hundreds of people taking part in the hīkoi or welcoming guests into their home towns.
The Hīkoi mō te Tiriti officially started with a karakia at Te Rerenga Wairua (Cape Rēinga) early on Monday morning.
While Act’s Treaty Principles Bill is in protesters sights and will be debated in Parliament this week after its introduction was brought forward, other Government legislation impacting Māori is also being protested, he said.
This includes the axing of the Māori Health Authority, fast-track consenting which will allow mining, changes to the Oranga Tamariki Act which will make it easier for Māori babies to be taken from Māori homes and a new laws “promoting discrimination of Māori disguised as gang patch bans”, Kapa-Kingi said.
On Monday, the hīkoi included “activations” or marches through Kaitāia and Kāeo, with numbers swelling to more than 1000 by the time it reached Kawakawa in the afternoon.
Kapa-Kingi said the first day had been “beautiful” and he was proud of what had been achieved so far.
He made no mention of the intermittent rain falling, nor the van loads of hīkoi protesters who got stuck in traffic on the way to Kawakawa.
But Kapa-Kingi said the protest is not just about standing up for the rights of Māori but all those who live in Aotearoa, where Te Tiriti is the founding document.
“A world where Te Tiriti is honoured is a world where everyone thrives,” he said.
Kawakawa local Tui Riwhi-Moihi watched and supported the action from the gallery where she was working. Photo / Denise Piper
“Things have been tough for Māori for a long time but there’s lots of people suffering. This is for everyone who feels like the systems, the powers that be, don’t see them, don’t listen and don’t understand.”
“I wanted to cry. After all the intergenerational trauma ā the losses of land, the language, the social cohesion ā and all the wonderful things that uplift a people and create unity, kotahitanga, I was afraid it was all going to be smashed down again.”
Davis said the bill undermined all the work done over generations to honour Te Tiriti and fight for relationships.
Mangarangi and Waipunahou Tau from Tautoro supported the hīkoi as it came to Kawakawa, representing the future generation those marching want to protect. Photo / Denise Piper
But she said the hīkoi was uplifting and showed the passion felt by everyone.
“It shows the treaty is part of an ongoing lifeline for everyone. It’s a network of information to be shared with care, generosity and justice.”
The hīkoi travelled to Whangārei overnight, and will continue with protest action through central Whangārei from 9am on Tuesday morning.
It will then travel to Tunatahi (Dargaville) for an activation from 1pm, before travelling on to Auckland.
While police have made plans to prepare for the protesters, the police presence in Northland on Monday was focused on traffic safety and control.
While Act’s David Seymour was not part of the protest action, he previously refuted claims his Treaty Principles Bill was racist, saying it provided certainty and clarity around the principles.
“I think it’s very clear that more and more people see that this is an initiative that promotes equal rights.”
Seymour said the bill is about giving “everyone a fair chance in life”.
Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years’ experience in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.
