Selwyn Katene - Point of Order Mr Speaker

For six years, I served our people as the founding president of the Mori Party, which continues to provide an independent Mori political voice on matters of national and international importance. Established in the aftermath of the foreshore and seabed controversy, the Mori Party has made a significant contribution over the past thirteen eventful years. During that time, Tariana Turia and Pita Sharples were the Party co-leaders and consistently exhibited a range of characteristics associated with good Mori leadership.

The current discourse on leadership fails to capture the full essence of rangatiratanga, which reflects the activities and aspirations of Mori leaders rather than those of leaders who happen to be Mori. Whakapapa Mori is the first and most obvious determinant of rangatiratanga; it is up to the individual whether they exhibit other attributes of a rangatira in their pursuits or settle for being a leader who happens to be Mori.

It has been a privilege to spend time with people identified as our ttara over my years advancing Mori interests with the New Zealand Mori Council and in Te Pihopatanga o Aotearoa. Reverend Maori Marsden, Sir James Henare and Sir Paul Reeves all influenced me in some way; high on their agenda was the issue of Mori self-determination. Closer to home, my mother and Ngti Toa koroua Pateriki Rei provided their own brand of guidance; their most attractive characteristics were sincerity and modesty.

Some thirty years ago, at a hui in Auckland, the Anglican Bishop Manuhuia Bennett, another influence in my life, cited the attributes of a rangatiratanga as given to him by his kaumtua:

Te kai a te rangatira, he krero ? the food of the chief is talk

Te tohu o te rangatira, he manaaki ? the sign of the chief is generosity

Te mahi a te rangatira, he whakatira i te iwi ? the work of the chief is to bring the people together.

He krero, the shaping and developing of important ideas and major decisions through discussion and the ability to then articulate those whakaaro, is crucial to being a strategic and visionary participant in the affairs of Mori. He manaaki, generosity and mana-enhancing behaviours that uplift all people with whom we engage, is underpinned by the expression of kaupapa tuku iho, values inherited from tpuna Mori. He whakatira i te iwi indicates that the rangatira must be able to garner support for their causes by bringing their people on board.

Te whaea o te motu, Tariana, and her co-leader Pita demonstrated these attributes every day as they navigated the corridors of Parliament. In doing so, they walked in the footprints of iconic Mori leaders Maui Pomare, Sir Apirana Ngata, Sir James Carroll and Te Rangi Hiroa.

The gains made have come about as a result of effectively advocating and influencing government. The Mori Party has to manage the expectations of all Mori the length and breadth of Aotearoa and right across the political spectrum from the far left to far right, and everything in-between. It needs to attract people who can represent Mori effectively and honourably, who can remain strong to kaupapa and the interests of our people in order to make the gains that are so important for the survival of Mori as a people.

In this book, Rhui and Selwyn Katene have provided the reader with insights into eight contemporary Mori leaders right across the political divide. Not only does their book foster greater public understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing Mori political leaders, it also gives us a glimpse of their commitment to whnau and community service away from the glare of cameras and reporters. What is striking is that, regardless of their political affiliations, all eight had in their development a group of leaders, kaumtua, hap or based in the community, who saw their potential and provided the necessary impetus and opportunity to put them on the path to Parliament.

When our tpuna and the Crown agreed on Te Tiriti o Waitangi, both signatories knew that they were creating a situation in which a natural tension between kwanatanga and tino rangatiratanga would exist. This has been the reality and will continue. Both partners must be vigilant in monitoring the tension and search for reconciliation of the two forces. In this regard, we are reliant on the Mori parliamentarians.

Mori political leaders have much to contribute to the survival of Mori as a people. Te kkano i ruia mai i Rangitea spent a thousand years in complete isolation, developed a distinctive society and prospered. We are what our tpuna were, and our future can be the same if we commit to ensuring the survival of our people as a distinct cultural group.

It is a daunting task being a rangatira rather than a leader who happens to be Mori, particularly as a leader of a political party. It can be humbling and rewarding, and while nothing in this world is ever guaranteed, there are signs that our people will not only endure but also thrive well into the future.

Whatarangi Winiata

25 April 2017