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Imprisoned activist Tame Iti is calling on his whakapapa links to King Tuheitia and Ngati Tuwharetoa paramount chief Tumu te Heuheu to back his Tuhoe iwi.
Iti was taken into custody as part of the police terror raids last week which led to the arrests of 16 people.
But the way police handled the operation in the heart of Tuhoe country caused anger and resentment in the Urewera region and marches of support have taken place around the country throughout the week for Iti.
In a letter penned in Maori from Waikeria Prison, Iti's challenge was not overt but did ask for action from Maoridom's elite.
He started by outlining his whakapapa (family tree) connections to the King's Waikato people and to Te Arawa, the waka from which Ngati Tuwharetoa descends.
A translation reads: "To my relatives, King Tuheitia and Tumu; the Maori people of this land; the Maori members of Parliament; and the hands of activism throughout the world, I leave it to you to determine the path you will take to support and embrace the independence of Tuhoe of Te Urewera, and all Maori."
All Maori had suffered from the police actions, he said.
"Sadness has descended upon Te Urewera, sheltered by the ancient cloak of Hinepukohurangi [Tuhoe's mythical common ancestor]. The gnashing teeth of the law has denigrated the independence of Tuhoe and all Maori. Their [the police's] guns and rule of law have terrorised the people of Tuhoe, the sovereignty of Tuhoe and all Maori."
Spokespeople for King Tuheitia did not return calls yesterday but respected Kingitanga kaumatua Hare Puke said the King should never be involved politically. "He is a symbol of unity. We should never use him to pressure, no; he has a special status."
But Mr Puke said Iti was his nephew and the letter was not inappropriate. "He's talking about his concern for Ruatoki, for Te Urewera and for Tuhoe. It's a wonderful, humble letter."
Asked about the terror raids, Mr Puke threw his support behind Iti. "He doesn't shoot anybody."
And he backed his nephew's sovereignty views. "Democracy hasn't always been kind to minorities.
"In Maoridom it's not democracy that we strive for. It's really tino rangatiratanga, the absolute individual's rights within the collective."
Mr te Heuheu is out of the country but his brother Timi te Heuheu said he had the highest respect for Iti's right to express his whakapapa.
"I think given time, there will be a time and a place where that relationship is properly acknowledged."
