Northland iwi Ngātiwai is encouraging te iwi Māori to take pride in their identity and wear their moko proudly, following Winston Peters’ comments calling Rawiri Waititi’s mataora “scribbles”.
Peters, who is of Ngātiwai descent, made the remark during a Parliamentary debateon the suspension of Te Pāti Māori MPs, referring to Waititi as “the one in the cowboy hat” with “scribbles on his face”.
He was made to apologise by the Speaker of the House.
Ngātiwai kaumātua Taipari Munro said he wanted his people to understand that wearing moko mataora, moko kauae, or even moko rāpa puhoro were decisions made not just for the individual, but on behalf of whānau, hapū, and iwi.
“You carry those markings because of you and your people,” Munro told RNZ.
“I was appalled that he [Peters] should do that. Because those moko marks are carried on behalf of all of us. Even though we mustn’t have it on our own faces specifically, it’s carried on behalf of all of us.
“And also, you do that to your own people? I thought we’d come out of that quagmire, that we were at a place where we support and advocate for our people and for kaupapa Māori.”
Munro said the progress Māori had made over decades was being eroded under the current Government.
“And then you have a Māori stand up in the House and talk like that? No, that was absolutely disgraceful.”
Munro said moko was a living symbol for iwi, and seeing others wear them was a source of immense pride.
“When I see those who carry moko, I know they carry it on behalf of myself, my whānau, my hapū – on behalf of Ngātiwai.
“It’s been carried for us. And so that’s just the immense pride.”
“Waiho mā tō koutou iwi a Ngātiwai e mokohia kahore anō koutou kia haere mai ki kōnei ki te rapu i ēnei mākā mōu anahe erangi kua haere mai koutou ki te whiwhi i ngā māka o te tā moko hei tohu mō tātou katoa mō Ngātiwai whānui.
“Let these sacred markings be received by you on behalf of Ngātiwai, not for yourself alone, but as a living symbol for us all, for the wider Ngātiwai whānui. They speak to our presence, to the enduring mana of our ancestors, and to the fact that we are still here.”
In an earlier statement to RNZ, NZ First leader Winston Peters said he was proud of his Ngātiwai whakapapa and his Tainui connections. He said he was also proud of his European ancestry and their culture.
“And all of my ancestors who have worn traditional tā moko that have been rightly bestowed upon them - and I always have been. That is why I have fought for, and so often succeeded for, justifiable Māori causes, and have done more for Māori than all of those critics all put together.”
In the statement he did not directly address his use of the word “scribbles”, but instead criticised Te Pāti Māori.
“Every Māori who understands tradition, respect, and heritage understands that it is not a right for anyone to decide for themselves one day to have a traditional tā moko tattoo,” he said.
Winston Peters apologised but criticised Te Pāti Māori, calling them "radical cultural elitists". Photo / Mark Mitchell
“We now have a bunch of radical cultural elitists in the Māori Party who are claiming to represent all of Māoridom and think by wearing tā moko they have a monopoly of thought over all of our representation.
“Pointing out the shallowness of their thinking is not racist, nor is it a reflection on any Māori in New Zealand – it is in fact the opposite.”
Munro believed the insult was not just directed at Te Pāti Māori.
“When he hurled that insult out, it went to all Māori, as far as I’m concerned,” he said.
“I don’t know who sees those things as just being something individual. I hope that us Māori don’t see it like that because those are proud markings that come from our ancestors.”
Now that Aotearoa has marked Matariki, Munro said, it was time for Māori to stand firm in their identity and mana motuhake.
“E te iwi Māori, kia manawanui,kia ū ki te mana Māori motuhake, i heke iho mai o tātou mātua tūpuna ki a tātou.
“This is a call to all Māori, embrace your identity and take pride in who you are, honour our ancestors.
“I’d be telling them, i roto i tō tātou reo, so that they truly understand that this is where this person, this rangatira here, is coming from.
“Look forward to the new year, plan well, and bring the dreams and aspirations of our people to the floor.”
