MPs' contempt fuelled rebuke, says kaumatua

The kaumatua accused of berating three female National MPs sitting in the front row of a powhiri last week says his actions were driven by a breach of common courtesy, not Maori protocol.

Waikato kaumatua Brownie Rauwhero said it was outrage at the behaviour of the women, particularly Clevedon MP Judith Collins, during a haka that prompted him to act.

Ms Collins, Anne Tolley and Paula Bennett walked out of the powhiri at a Child, Youth and Family Services centre in Manurewa last Friday after Mr Rauwhero harangued them.

Ms Collins said she walked out because she was insulted for refusing to take a back seat during a powhiri, a breach of Maori protocol, a claim disputed by Mr Rauwhero.

Speaking yesterday from his Manurewa home, he said it was the MPs' actions during a haka performed by children at the event that made him respond.

"The issue around this had nothing to do with tikanga or anything like that. The kids wanted to powhiri their guests. That was all."

He said he tolerated the women's decision to sit in the front row.

"It was their body language. Anyone could read it. The way they looked at the kids when they performed."

Mr Rauwhero said the children, many who came from troubled backgrounds, were showing their mana during the performance.

He said the actions of the MPs, which included talking, showed contempt and trampled on the performers' self-esteem.

Mr Rauwhero said he did not want to add heat to the debate and declined to comment further.

His only comment on reports Ms Collins was reduced to tears during a discussion about the powhiri at the social services select committee on Wednesday was: "Good job."

Ms Collins reportedly became emotional on Wednesday when describing to the committee the hurt she had felt at being rebuked by the kaumatua and criticised by the Prime Minister.

Helen Clark described her as "the guest from hell" and said she had been rebuked for her "boorish behaviour" such as turning her back on a haka, talking all the way through it and not removing her shoes, rather than for sitting in the front row.

Manukau Institute of Technology chaplain and cultural adviser Sonny Rauwhero, Brownie Rauwhero's brother, said it was disappointing the issue had attracted so much attention.

He said he was sorry his brother responded in the way he did.

"It has been blown out of proportion, there were things said and done that should not have happened. I would not have gone to the same extremes, I would have asked them politely to please respect our kawa [etiquette]."

He said protocol was put in place to respect those attending and was not designed to be disrespectful to guests.

"Things have got a little out of hand. I would have asked them nicely, 'the kawa is there not because I want to kick you off, they are their to protect individuals'. In Maori protocol it is not allowed for women to sit in the front row. For me I would have asked them to move, and explained why. If they chose not to, I would have moved on."

But he believed the actions of some of the women were driven by the need to score political points than by a genuine gripe with Maori customs.

"These women are aware of Maori kawa. They came specifically to push the boundaries. If you are going to respond to dislike with dislike you are not going to get a good outcome."

He said the children in the haka were taught to respect rules, and the defiant actions of the women set a bad example.

"The haka is demonstrating their mana, when someone disrespects them during their haka it tramples on their mana."