Karakia before official events is on my too-long list of things to find out about. Is it a Christian prayer or is it a pagan ritual?
At the Te Reo opening of last month's Hastings District Council oil symposium I pondered on how Maori are cut off from substantial thingslike mineral rights, yet tikanga Maori is a feature of anything official. Talk's cheap I suppose.
The big guns of Maori business came to Hawke's Bay on Friday. The $5 billion-and-growing-fast Federation of Maori Authorities held their conference here, thanks to a successful hosting of the Ahuwhenua Trophy Maori Excellence in Farming Award ceremony in June. The protest by Ngati Hineuru against their contracted negotiator was an embarrassment to conference host Ngati Kahungunu.
The federation executive were clearly not amused at the press conference they called to support the contracted negotiator, who is also the chair of their organisation. It was the most stilted and formal press conference I have ever been to.
The Treaty of Waitangi did not exist in New Zealand law until it was recognised by Parliament in the 1970s. Maori had all fishing rights before pakeha said nobody did. Only because the Government created fishing rights for itself were Maori able to claim a piece of the pie. Water rights were discussed and ownership of water was out of the question, according to Ngai Tahu leader Sir Tipene O'Regan. I had never heard him speak before and I am a fan. He explains the big picture while giving you a belly laugh. "I don't want to be the owner of water - and have the liability the next time Invercargill gets flooded."
He told me the irony was not lost on him, that one of his iwi's businesses was investing in our proposed dam while there were calls for Maori to claim rights to water use before they were legislated away.
One of our newest regional councillors knows more about Treaty of Waitangi matters than most. Rick Barker was in Taranaki on Treaty business shortly before flying back for his first council meeting. It is inexcusable that somebody being paid by ratepayers, and knowing he was going to be nominated as chairman, turn up without seeing the agenda.
