Written Treaty Principles submission
I had mixed feelings in relation to writing a submission for the Treaty Principles Bill. In the first instance, I resented having to defend Te Tiriti due to a coalition agreement with a minority party. I also did not want to see another Tiriti breach that day, that week, that month, this year or in my lifetime. But…I also have been thinking and breathing Te Tiriti for decades and I was up for stretching some academic muscles to write something clear and difficult to argue with.
Rather than write on behalf of a political rōpū I decided to rope in my Pākehā whānau and friends that I don’t usually get to politically collaborate with. We ended up with over 500 co-signatories. The 3000 words just flowed onto the page. Pulling apart the misinformation, the assumptions were straightforward. It was a release to get the words on paper. Thanks, as always, to Tim McCreanor for his polish and edit to get it over the line.
Here is the link to our full written submission
Oral Treaty Principles submission
We were at Waitangi when we heard we had been called to do an oral submission. It was in the middle of a hot day, and we were staffing the STIR: Stop Institutional Racism booth; talking Te Tiriti, and racism to strangers and friends. Watching some of the early submitters it was intimidating preparing – Ani Makaere, Jane Kelsey, Vincent O’Malley, Marilyn Waring were on fire. So clear, so passionate.
After a while I looked beyond the inconvenience, the hate and realised I was watching a master class in Tiriti and racial justice – the against oral submissions consisted of perfectly formed micro-bites for classroom use and this Bill also gave us much needed kōtahitanga. Likewise, the Bill contributed to the hikoi. In Wellington for me the hikoi was a heart-warming day in the field, seeing friends, chanting, walking, standing (and sitting) in solidarity.
When we went to parliament I was proud to stand with my Pākehā family and be part of something bigger than us. I was surprised how I stumbled with my words and how emotional I was. It was special to have Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke sitting in on the hearing and as I ripped up my notes I did a shout out to her. Thanks to Steve Able for asking an enabling question, and great to see our local MP Ginny Anderson on the committee. Here is hoping the Bill supporters can rustle up some relevant questions for the other submitters.
Here is the link to our oral submission it starts at 4: 17:36 after some speakers that would benefit from “reading some bloody history”. Below is the transcript of what I planned on saying. Here is the Spin-Off coverage of the submissions on 24/2/2025. We were also interviewed by a Māori journalist and when we find the link we will drop it into this blog. Cracking moment when the journalist asked a carefully crafted complex question and Judy drops the mic saying this is all about racism. I hope her and Denis’s sound bites make the cut.
Transcript of oral submission
Kia ora tatou
He tangata Tiriti ahau. Te Tiriti o Waitangi is the terms and conditions of which my people settled in this country from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. He Heather Came taku ingoa. I am a seventh generation Pākehā New Zealander. I am speaking to this submission on behalf of myself, several friends, family members and colleagues.
We collectively oppose the Treaty Principles Bill and tautoko the other speakers that are opposed to this ill-conceived waste of time, energy and resources. Our sympathies and solidarity go to all those that have been harmed by this particular process and those affected by the multiplicity of breaches of Te Tiriti o Waitangi that have occurred since 1840. We acknowledge the Crown officials that have worked on this Bill and the thousands of New Zealanders that joined the hikoi and other activations to show their support for Te Tiriti.
I went to my first Te Tiriti workshop when I was 16 years old and led my first Te Tiriti workshop when I was 19. I have been involved in issues of Tiriti and racial justice in different ways for the last thirty-six years. I have led hundreds of Tiriti workshops, as a scholar I have published extensively on Te Tiriti o Waitangi application, institutional racism and antiracism. I lead a consultancy specialising in this kaupapa and are an Adjunct Professor at Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington.
In this room I see those that are incredibly well informed about He Whakaputanga, Te Tiriti and our colonial history and those that are wilfully ignorant and propagate misinformation to advance a narrow political agenda.
My kōrero is directed at the wilful ignorant in the room. Please indulge me in a brief history lesson.
In 1835 He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nū Tīreni was drafted and gazetted by the British recognising the absolute sovereignty and authority of hapū over this whenua.
A treaty is negotiated between sovereign nations. Māori never ceded their sovereignty. Rather in Te Tiriti hapū agreed to enter a strategic relationship, granted the British limited kāwanatanga over non-Māori people, reaffirmed their tino rangatiratanga, hapū were granted the same rights and privileges as British subjects and there was agreement around cultural and religious freedom.
Māori rangatira signed the Māori text. Under international legal doctrine of contra proferentem the Māori text is the authorative text. The Crown’s continued and active promotion of the legitimacy of the English version alongside the Māori text is actively propagating misinformation.
In my scholarly work I have identified over 54+ treaty principles devised by the Crown, the judiciary, government departments, royal commissions etc. Historically this has been useful for some in applying and understanding ToW. I am optimistic that in 2025 most New Zealanders of voting age can read and understand a one-page document without the assistance of principles.
In 2014 in WAI 1040 the Waitangi Tribunal ruled that Ngāpuhi never ceded sovereignty. Hapū only granted the British limited governorship rights over non-Māori. This Bill has incited hate, discomfort, and misinformation. For the Crown to attempt to redefine Te Tiriti is profoundly disingenuous, arrogant and disrespectful.
Matike Mai articulates the aspirations of many Māori about how we can co-exist and share this whenua. The debate we need to have as a nation is how can we honour and uphold Te Tiriti and prepare for the constitutional vision Matua Moana Jackson and others outlined in Matike Mai.
I believe my ancestors came to this country in good faith. Yes, we became beneficiaries of colonisation and Tiriti breaches that transferred whenua out of Māori control, that supplanted tikanga and mātauranga Māori. For that I take responsibility, and I work to make amends.
The facts of our Tiriti history are clear. The Māori text is the authorative text. Māori never ceded sovereignty.
To the wilfully ignorant in this room to quote my colleague Vince O’Malley “read some bloody history”. It is always the right time to critically reflect on one’s behaviour, take responsibility for the harm caused, changes one’s behaviour and then do better. Te Tiriti is a visionary document that doesn’t deserve to reimagined by the ACT party and their allies.
Final postscript
The Bill is all wrong. I chose alongside the hate, misinformation to appreciate seeing people stepping up, holding the line, and being brave. Conscientisation can never be turned off. Once you know about our colonial history you can never unknow it. Knowing puts the ball in our court to decide how to act and how to respond. Antiracism is a verb. Being tangata Tiriti is a verb also – it is about what we do. We may be manuhiri in this country but it doesn’t mean we can’t lean in and pull our weight, stand up and be counted. The Came-Friar’s are now well and truly on the official record against this Bill. #notinourname
コメント