Maori youth say they're up to the challenge

Maori youth representatives this morning staked their claim to a leadership role in future Maori business planning at the Hui Taumata, defying reports they had no meaningful presence at the hui.

Some newspaper reports questioned whether enough Maori under 23 were at the hui on Maori economic development, given the emphasis many of the speakers placed on education and tapping the potential of Maori youth.

But Maori youth spokespeople Che Wilson and Rukumoana Willis and a group of about 70 rangatahi (youth) who took the stage not only affirmed their presence but were strident in their assertion to play a genuine leadership role.

"We are here as a celebration of your efforts over the past 21 years," Ms Willis told the hui.

"We are here to say to you that we are ready to take up the challenge for our generation."

Ms Willis said the hui had provided ideas and confidence for Maori prosperity in the next 20 years.

"We are your best resource, we are your living legacy and we will continue to challenge, motivate, agitate and through the courage you have instilled in us aspire to be the best we can be for our people," she said.

"We are dedicating our energy to the task ahead... I remind you that the waka will not leave without us, nor will we paddle it alone."

She said Maori in 20 years would be multilingual with an outlook which was local as well as global.

Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia said Maori youth were in a much better position to take leadership roles than at the first Hui Taumata in 1984, when he was a 34-year-old youth delegate.

"At the first Hui Taumata, if you were 20 or 30 you weren't allowed to stand up and say anything," he said.

"Today I'm proud our rangatahi have made the gesture to come up here and assert their voice."

Key themes raised at the hui have included an emphasis on quality education, the need to get more Maori into decision-making positions and an emphasis on entrepreneurship while not sacrificing Maori culture.

Delegates were this morning listening to summaries of all the speeches and workshops at the hui during the past two days, and putting together a list of key findings to hand to Prime Minister Helen Clark.

- NZPA