Te Pāti Māori mass protests: Rotorua hīkoi against new government policy just the start, says leader

Rotorua city was a sea of red, black and white on Tuesday morning as a hīkoi against new government policies that “don’t serve Māori” traversed the streets.

Some marchers held signs that read, “We will not be silenced” while others who spoke to Local Democracy Reporting feared their revitalised culture would be dismissed.

Now, the woman who led the 2000-strong march in the CBD says it is not a matter of if, but when, the next will be.

The hīkoi was one of several held around the country, prompted as Te Pāti Māori called for mass protests after National agreed to support Act’s policy for a binding public referendum on defining the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi through its first stage.

Te Pāti Māori vice president wahine Fallyn Flavell said it was an “activation” of Te Iwi Māori and Tangata Tiriti supporters concerning the new government policies that “don’t serve Māori”.

“We’ve activated a fire in the belly of Māori that we deserve better.”

Speaking to the crowd at the hīkoi she said said they would start a chant to get “excited, not angry”.

Later in the day, she said more hīkoi will be held over the next three years but “when is another question.”

She believed about 2000 people walked through the streets - a better turnout than expected, with a range of kuia kaumātua, tamariki and tangata tiriti.

Te Pāti Māori vice president wahine Fallyn Flavell at the Rotorua hīkoi. Photo / Laura Smith

“I feel tau, kua tau te mauri. I feel calm, and at ease, knowing that our movement is ready, kua reri rātou.”

Flavell said she thought those who turned up were proud to be Māori.

“They understand now that the movement is about our mokopuna, and making mokopuna decisions.”

She hoped the Government received its message.

“This is only the beginning of a very long term for them.”

Merepeka Raukawa-Tait, Te Pāti Māori’s Rotorua candidate in this year’s election, attended the hīkoi.

She said it was “very much a happy, whānau atmosphere”.

“All united in their displeasure at the Government’s wish to shut Māori out of decision-making that will ultimately impact on their whānau’s well-being.”

There was more disruption to come, she said.

On Tuesday, the disruption came in the form of halting traffic during the morning commute.

Police flanked the throng of protestors and blocked traffic as, chanting and singing, the hīkoi headed out of Government Gardens and on to Arawa St.

The protest ran the length between Ranolf and Tutanekai Sts at one point.

People in Rotorua protested against government policies labelled “anti-Māori”. Photo / Laura Smith

It went past National’s Rotorua MP Todd McClay’s office and made its way back down Fenton St, heading back to its start point.

Rotorua local Taiki Scott was at the protest to “support the kaupapa”.

“I don’t know too much about politics ... on paper, it definitely does seem like a few of the movements that are coming off of National and all the other parties can be against Māori and indigenous people.”

He believed it was a “successful” march, did not disturb traffic and there were no problems.

Image 1 of 19: Rotorua protests against Government policies labelled “anti-Māori”. Photo / Laura Smith

“All around, good wairua.”

Huriana Mohi is the mother of 4-year-old Te Awe-Taurikura Preston, who stood in front of the crowd waving a flag.

“I think now more than ever it’s important to be present. Everything that is decided in Parliament affects us,” she said.

“Mokopuna decisions” is a phrase numerous attendees said when asked why they were at the hīkoi.

Four-year-old Te Awe-Taurikura Preston in front of the hīkoi in Rotorua. Photo / Laura Smith

Vanessa Paraki said showing uniformity and unity in coming together showed they would not stand for a repeated cycle of oppression.

She said the protesters did not want to have the last 70 to 100 years of Māori culture revitalisation dismissed.

The NZ Herald reported that Waiariki’s Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi led protesters on a march to Parliament.

They gathered above State Highway 1’s Terrace Tunnel, holding signs that included “Honour the Treaty” and “Racism Won’t Win”.

Vanessa Paraki, left, and Taniko Rangihau were among those holding signs. Photo / Laura Smith

When the Herald asked about the protests at the post-Cabinet press conference on Monday, Prime Minister Christoper Luxon said the coalition Government was “deeply committed” to improving outcomes for Māori and non-Māori.

Luxon said he did not actually know what the protests were about.

He said for the past six years under the Labour Government, “outcomes have not been good for Māori”.

“We’ve seen economically Māori have been really challenged by a cost-of-living crisis that’s got out of control. We’ve seen Māori in terms of participation in welfare, on social state house wait lists, education, healthcare, all of those things have gone backwards.

“We are going to be a Government that’s going to deliver for Māori, period. That is a big focus of ours.”

He also said he thought the protests were “unfair” given the Government had only been in the job for a week.

Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka said he supported the rights of people to protest.

Potaka said he “respectfully” disagreed with comments this would be the “most racist government in decades” and terms such as “genocide” to describe British colonialism.

In a statement after yesterday’s protest, police said several gatherings were held in the Bay of Plenty and there was “minimal disruption”.

Laura Smith is a Local Democracy Reporting journalist based at the Rotorua Daily Post. She previously reported general news for the Otago Daily Times and Southland Express, and has been a journalist for four years.

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