Hawke's Bay incident the catalyst for nationwide uprising against Oranga Tamariki

Maori midwives Ripeka Ormsby (left) and Jean Te Huia at the 'hand off our tamariki' march to Parliament in Wellington. Photo / Supplied.

Two Hawke's Bay women who set off a nationwide uprising by standing up to Oranga Tamariki over a baby uplift were in the crowd as their cause reached parliament's steps.

Maori midwives Ripeka Ormsby and Jean Te Huia who both helped stop an attempted uplift at Hawke's Bay Hospital on May 7, stood up and spoke.

Speakers at the protest told the crowd Māori should be the ones caring for their children, and the state must leave their mokopuna alone.

Ormsby said there was "no voice for the mother in this case", and that they, as midwives "had to be the voice".

"The voice of whanau has been taken away and the law has to change," she professed to the crowd.

Te Huia was outraged at the state of laws and the system.

"Criminals and murderers have their rights protected, but you can be accused of being a bad mother in New Zealand and get no trial and your baby taken.

"We want our dignity back.

"This is a humanitarian crisis."

Outspoken Hawke's Bay District Health Board member, and Hastings District Councillor, Jacoby Poulain, travelled to Wellington to be a part of the hikoi.

She said there it was "very special" being there.

"I can sense it is the start of something unique to New Zealand. There's an uprising happening in New Zealand and people are coming out to show their solidarity," Poulain said.

"To me, the atmosphere was one of love, care and support for one another and support for the kaupapa."

She said the cause was particularly about resisting state abuse and the uplift of children and newborns, in particular from hospitals. But it was actually about "so much more".

"Reference was made to Ihumatao, which is a land protest currently happening in Auckland because the synergies are similar. The sentiments being shared is the stealing of land and the stealing of babies and oppression.

"Maori are now standing up, calling for a change in these practices."

She believes this is the start of change - "it has to be".

"Maori are tired of being blamed and not supported and are demanding change.

"Personally, I believe change is inevitable because there is no other way these issues are going to be resolved except with change and transformation."

Spreading the message of strengthening the home and family unit was the basis of The Hands Off Our Tamariki hikoi in Napier on Tuesday.

It attracted more than 40 people and spokeswoman Cherie Kara Watene said it was heartwarming to see the turn out.

She said it was a "beautiful" rally and it highlighted the need to work together.

"Our kaupapa is that we want social services, Maori organisations, Iwi, and whanau to work together, to wrap korowai around our families instead of tearing them apart.

"If we don't strengthen our home and families, how are we going to strengthen our country.

"I really want our families, our tamariki to succeed."

She said the hikoi was all about families and organisations coming together for the betterment of the children.

Watene "fully supported" the "Hands Off Our Tamariki: a Rally to Demand the Halting of State Abuse of Māori Tamariki And Whānau" march in Wellington.

There are now numerous reviews or inquiries under way in the wake of the uplift attempt.

They include those led by the Children's Commissioner Judge Andrew Becroft, Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier, and the Whānau Ora collective.