So our good mate Hone decides to swear allegiance to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and not the Queen. A good move for the country, or simply too hard to fathom?
It's a step closer to Republicism, but from an unnatural source. For many years, Maori have sworn that they need the Crown representation as the Treaty is a partnership deal between Maori and the Crown and both need each other to honour that important document. But with Hone now shunning the Queen and swearing allegiance to the only true partnership document raises the issue that this country needs to sever ties with the past, and look at finding a viable Constitution that would lead this country ahead as an entity unto itself.
I personally would like to see a four year term Presidency and a Constitution put in place as the step forward in the right direction. Not just for Maori, but for all citizens. A constitution will mean that all citizens have to swear allegiance to that constitution. It would also mean that a President on a four year term would be elected by the country (replacing and filling the titular roles of the current Governor General) but there is a twist. Elections would be held every eight years, as the Presidential role will be filled every term about by the Maori King, pending he gets 80% support from Maori to do so. It should be noted, the President doesn't hold any parliamentary duties, except for opening parliament, swearing in MP's, and a power of veto on law formulation if he or she deems it not in the best interest of the country.
So will it work? How popular is the Monarchy? How important is it to have the Crown as the maker of laws and decisions? How important is honouring Maori as the First peoples? And how many people would leave the country for greener pastures? Good I say, they can leave as they have no vested interest in making this place move forward ad greater than it could be. I have heard from many fellow New Zealanders that say the country can not afford to recompense for lost lands. To be honest, many descendants of unscrupulous land grabbers from between 1820 - 1840 should be shivering in their boots. Take for instance the land from Marton to Turakina, from the coast to the hinterland, something like 60,000 acres, all sold for basically trinkets.
Why a land grab? Because Maori were taken advantage of. They had no value on land, except as a provider from forests, birds, and the foreshore. Land was Papatuanuku, Mother, provider, not something that could be owned and Pakeha took advantage of that and swindled Maori out of many millions of acres (it happened all over the country. So now you see why it's important to Maori to get the right compensation. And it's right for Hone Harawira to swear allegiance to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It's that time for all to address their guilt, their way of life, their allegiances, their promises, their willingness to join together and be Aotearoa New Zealand, one country amongst many.
And why it is important that we ditch the Monarchy. Simple really, they are not worthy role models, besides the Queen and even she has her moments. Ok I hear you say. King Hone Harawira the First isn't exactly squeaky clean ;)
PART 1 OK - hmm - part of the agreement between the Natioanl and Maori parties after the last election was nb fact constitutional review - this however has been agenda'd for 'after' this next election. Its actually one of the most very importsnt things signalled for the next term - because I suspect it will place the principles of the Treaty at the heart of any future form of Kawanatanga (Government) in New Zealand and it will be ratified as 'our' constitution rather than be attached and dependent on an ongoing relationship with the 'crown'. This will clear the way for further and future moves to republicanism I am not convinced that this will be a good or even necessary move - however am not convinced it won't be either.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to the discussions and debates around the upcoming constitutional review. I have faith that the place of the treaty will be central however it won't be 'the Treaty' - it will be a real living 'constitution ' with protection and tino rangatiratanga (sovereignty for the indigenous culture)enshrined in law with the reality of Kawanatanga (government)being structurally a much more effective partnership between the different partners or stakeholders.
I say stakeholders because each side of the treaty is more than 'one people'. The Maori is not one nation - not even ever was - Maori back in the day actually meant'human' Governance was not national as we know it now - governance was Iwi based - so this is why so many signatories to the Treaty -- all the different self governing Iwi. This is why the Iwi leaders forum is today so very important -- these people today have direct negotiations with Parliamrnt (the 'crown' side of the partnership)about many different issues - not the least being the foreshore and seabed -- the Maori MPs are a Pakeha construct which for the moment are necessary but they do not represent the voice of the 'Iwi' - the Iwi leadership forum does this.
The pakeha side of the treaty also has many different peoples - Whilst at the outset it was the 'British' peoples who formed the partnership and government we are now in a position whereby the 'British' invited many other peoples to join themon the 'crown' side of the Treaty in the subsequent years - and now we have the notion of 'multi-culturalism on this the 'crown' side of the Treay' This ensures the people who have arrived in Aotearoa in more recent times are also respected as a people / culture (this includes people from other pacific nations who have now settled in NZ as well as the Chinese and Dalmations who came during the 19th C gold rush as well as more recent asian immigrants -- and many other peoples as well. But lets not forget that they still all sit on the 'pakeha' side of the treaty -- just as the 'maori' side of the treaty comprises of at least 40 different iwi , Many other iwi did not sign the treaty - it wae taken around Aoteroa but mostly coastal iwi were contacted -- in fact Te Arawa iwi (23 different iwi here) all lived inland and were not party to the siging of the Treaty just as Tuhoe, ANOTHER INLAND IWI who DID NOT SIGN THE tREATY.
accidental caps lock sorry.
Anyhow -- all this muddle stuff will hopefully be unmuddled with the constituional review but in fact as it is so muddled it could make for a rather umm 'interesting ' time of unravelling it all thru discussion and debate; Don Brash will offend many I am sure
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Part 2 The Maori 'King' was a 19th century attempt by a number of different iwi to form a 'partnership' with the crown' with Maori represented by a single voice - but as already mentioned has by now really become not a 'soveriegn' postion at all
ReplyDeletebut rather mmuch more representative of Tainui waka. I am predicting a much stronger position for the Iwi leadership forum - and Iwi leadership happens through activity from the whanau / hapu / iwi structure and the whanau / hapu activity is marae based - so it is demographic - just not Westminster democracy.
Umm - finally Hone Harawira - stunt man -- he is saying nothing that the Maori Party and iwi leaders are not already addressing -- they are getting on with the business of goverment - if u loook at what they gave achieved much of it strengthens the poor and this constituional review will address the Treay issues -- Hone knows all this -- yet is still grandstanding as though his is the only voice carrying the messages -
well - in a way he is - he is the only one still standing around 'wailing' about it (him, his mother and Annette sykes)-- the others are actually getting on with the business and 'work' of trying to improve things and make it so whats been wrong is 'righted
And while Hone pulls his stunts he gets paid big bucks. He really did not need to pull this lateststunt today because he 'KNOWS' about the upcoming constitional review. So yes he's pulling a stunt to get the votes of those people who are not well informed -- and thereby achieve his future emplyment in a well paid position -instead he could be spending his time informing his electorate and 'people' about the constitutional review and ensuring they are well prepared, have debated and had discussion within his'people' so they are well prepared and know clearly not only what is wrong with the currrent situation but also so they can articulate a wyt forward, a pathway, for the future. No - Hone does not do this -- he continues to wail about the past offering no solutions for the future
Intresting read of your blog, Mate. I think Harawira is a dick. Why align yourself with a document signed between Queen (albeit Victoria) and country, yet dismiss one of the parties to that agreement. The bloke is a drop-kick!
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