The principles of the Treaty of Waitangi are being explained to social media users to help them understand and retain their meaning.
Victoria University law graduate Te Matahiapo Safari-Hynes (Rangitāne, Ngāti Kahungunu) has a large social media following, including 17,000 on Instagram, and says recent political events motivated him to start the initiative.
“Kua roa au e whakaaro ana kia pēnei ai. Nā te pōtitanga kua taha ake nei me te kāwanatanga hōu i pupū ake anō ai tēnei hiahia kia whakapuakitia ēnei whakaaro ōku. E whakapono nui ana ahau mā roto mai i te ako, i te wānanga i ngā kōrero e tino ora ai te Māori.”
“I’ve been thinking about this for some time. With the recent election and new government, the thought popped up again to present my ideas. I truly believe that by learning and discussing these issues Māori will benefit.”
He believed that iwi protests against the government’s so-called ‘anti-Māori’ policies in December showed people are ready for this kind of exposure to Te Tiriti.
“Ākene pea kua tae tātau ki te wā e rite ai te marea ki te ako,” e ai ki a Safari-Hynes.
“We have probably reached a point where the majority is ready to learn,” Safari-Hynes said.
Safari-Hynes has posted four short video clips on Treaty perspectives and the context of He Whakaputanga, the 1830 Declaration of Independence.
He said the videos make it easier for this generation to comprehend.
“Ki a au nei koinā te ara tika, ka mutu, he nui hoki te hunga taringa morimori, arā ko te short attention span tērā.
Koinā au e whakaaro ai, he pai pea te kotahi miniti me te toru tekau hēkona, nā te mea e kore te iwi nui tonu e pirangi ki te noho mō te hia nei haora ki te mātaki kōrero.”
“To me that is the best way to do it, and there are a few people who have a short attention span.
That’s why I thought it’s probably best to make them just a minute and a half because the majority don’t want to sit there for hours on end watching someone talk.”
Te Matahiapo said his goal is for rangatahi to be more well-equipped and knowledgeable of the country’s founding document.
“Koirā taku wawata, kia mōhio ai tātau katoa ki ngā ātikara e toru, ki te oati i tuku ki ngā rangatira i mua i te hainatanga otirā ki ngā kupu whakataki. Katoa o ērā mea me ngā kōrero tuku iho e tohu ana kīhai ō tātau rangatira i tuku i ō rātau mana, i tuku i ō rātau rangatiratanga kia noho ai rātau i raro i te mana o tētahi atu,”
“That’s my desire, that we are all aware of its three articles, the oath made to the chiefs before the signing, and the preamble. All those things and the history that shows our ancestors did not cede their power or sovereignty to anyone,” he said.