A drive to boost voting by Māori is essential ahead of November’s election, say two Taranaki leaders at the annual Rātana celebrations.
The Rātana Church is marking the birth of founder Tahupōtiki Wiremu Rātana at his namesake pā just south of Whanganui.
Thursday’s agenda was primarily spiritual as iwi paid tribute to significant people who’ve died in the past year.
But the pouwhakahaere of Taranaki’s Te Tōpuni Ngārahu said politics was always relevant as TW Rātana had spoken of te taha wairua and te taha kiko – the aspects of spirit and flesh.
Wharehoka Wano said the collective iwi entity Te Tōpuni Ngārahu would campaign for whānau to register and vote.
“The elections have to be a focus – and it is a significant election because we’ve got a really tough coalition Government that we’re dealing with.”
Wano said Te Tōpuni Ngārahu and iwi themselves had promoted voting, including for last year’s local body elections, but it was a delicate balance.
“Our people that are living in really difficult times… we need to help them when they’re just trying to get a loaf of bread on the table.
“Our people need to see value and relevance in voting, and our job is to encourage them rather than say ‘you have to get out there and vote’.”
The kaikōrero for Ngā Rauru iwi, Rauru Broughton, said a whānau-focused approach would be most successful to get people voting.
“There’re a lot of whānau that are more aware now, that are being educated around the election process – but it’s not as strong as it should be.”
He said a year of mass protest had shown Māori were politically engaged, but history showed that didn’t translate into voting.
“You have thousands of people at a protest but when it comes down to the actual voting – put to your fingers to the computer to register or your fingers to the pen to vote – it’s another story.”
Party leaders’ speeches at the annual celebrations are often said to kick off the political year and Tuesday’s announcement of November 7 as election date has sharpened focus on Friday’s visiting MPs.
Broughton agreed with Wano that politics was intrinsic to Rātana.
He said that had intensified with Te Pāti Māori in turmoil after previously making inroads into Rātana’s Labour Party loyalty.
“It was very subtle on the paepae today, but you know people are asking about Te Pāti Māori and definitely that sort of kōrero will be heard over the next couple of days.
“We really want to know what’s going on because it’s quite sad looking at the division.
Broughton said Labour had regained confidence and the Greens were making ground after lawyer and Treaty advocate Tania Waikato announced she’d stand for them.
Both leaders paid tribute to outgoing Labour MP Adrian Rurawhe, who announced his retirement on Wednesday.
Rurawhe – a great grandson of TW Rātana and grandson of Western Māori MPs Matiu and Iriaka Rātana – won Te Tai Hauāuru electorate in 2014 and rose to become Speaker of the House during Jacinda Ardern’s premiership.
Broughton said Rurawhe was humble, and firm but not aggressive in managing of Parliament’s tikanga.
“Being the descendant of the prophet Rātana who was the mangai or the ‘mouthpiece’ of Ihoa, of God, this was something that was natural to him.
“What he does here at home and down there in Parliament, same same.”
Wano said he was pleased to acknowledge Rurawhe on behalf of Taranaki, especially in a facilitation role like Speaker.
“Adrian got the significance of the role and the importance of it, because you’re trying to keep the important conversations going in a real safe way.
“And we do that here: he’s had this experience to draw on, a place like Rātana – te Pā o Ngā Ariki.”
LDR is local body reporting funded by RNZ and NZ on Air
