Not all Maori will agree to the idea of one flag representing Maoridom on the Auckland Harbour Bridge on Waitangi Day, an Auckland historian says.
Auckland University of Technology Maori history professor Paul Moon said there have been many flags in Maoridom but none have represented a large grouping of
people.
Maori Affairs Minister Dr Pita Sharples is in Auckland today to launch a series of hui on the Maori flag issue.
Participants will be asked on which occasions they think it is appropriate for a Maori flag to be flown.
Dr Moon said in most cases in history, flags belonged to individuals and there was certainly no national flag.
He said The Nga Puhi chief Hone Heke had his own flag, as did the Kingitanga movement. The prophet and warrior, Te Kooti, had a flag, and so did the Tuhoe prophet Rua Kenana.
"They've been a feature but a feature of emulation. They saw that the British had them and the French had them so we should have them as well, I think that was the view," Dr Moon said.
Dr Moon said, historically, the closest thing to a wide-ranging representative flag would be the United Tribes flag but very few chiefs signed the Declaration of Independence in 1835 and those that did were exclusively from the Far North region.
He said the tino rangatiratanga flag could be seen as more unifying but some say the whole idea of having one flag to represent all Maori is a colonised view.
"It overrides the importance of iwi and hapu affiliation.
"Some people argue iwi and hapu are sovereign units and when it came to the treaty for example, the Maori text that Henry Williams produced, it talked about Hapu signing the treaty," Dr Moon said.
He said the idea of a "Maori nation" came much later on.
Those taking part in the hui will have four choices - the flag of the independent tribes of New Zealand, the New Zealand flag, the New Zealand red ensign or the Tino Rangatiratanga flag.
The 21 hui will be held in different parts of the country, with the first in Kaitaia on Saturday.
Dr Moon said Maori were angered when the authorities that run the Auckland Harbour Bridge refused a request to fly the Maori flag on Waitangi Day.
Prime Minister John Key said he would support a flag chosen by Maori flying from the bridge, Parliament and Premier House on Waitangi Day from next year.
- With NEWSTALK ZB
Not all Maori will agree to one flag, historian says
On Waitangi Day 2008 a convoy of protesters drove over the Auckland Harbour Bridge flying the Tino Rangitiratanga flag. Photo / Martin Sykes
Not all Maori will agree to the idea of one flag representing Maoridom on the Auckland Harbour Bridge on Waitangi Day, an Auckland historian says.
Auckland University of Technology Maori history professor Paul Moon said there have been many flags in Maoridom but none have represented a large grouping of
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