Te Ururoa Flavell: Dialogue must result in action

The Maori King Tuheitia Paki.

Greetings again. I have been back at work for a few weeks now, and it is all on. In my last article I referred to the principle of looking after our visitors.

I saw this in action first hand at the poukai that was held at Kokohinau Marae in Te Teko recently which was attended by the Maori King and his entourage.

What is a poukai? This is a concept that was implemented by Te Puea in her time when Tainui suffered from poverty and impoverishment. The poukai focuses on the lonely, the destitute and those who have been widowed. There is a welcome, there are prayers, there is discussion, there is feasting, there is debate. This is an example of whanau ora in action.

It is said that the food of chiefs is debate and that is exactly how it was at Ratana this year. Gathered together were the followers of the Ratana and Ringatu faith, as well as supporters of the King movement sitting with the leadership of some tribes. Their job was to make submissions from their constituents. It was a spectacle to behold and that is the beauty of our marae.

All of the home spokespeople first presented their views and then the representatives from the respective parties replied. Some of the responses replied directly while others went on their own tangent but the problem in my view was this - both sides never actually got to debate, eyeball to eyeball, and actually flesh out the discussion.

And that is exactly what is needed in the future if we are to really make any meaningful headway. When the talking finishes, people have a cup of tea and go home with no one really knowing whether their propositions have actually achieved anything or not. I set a challenge for us to consider actual and meaningful dialogue that results in action.

People often ask whether Te Arawa has a united forum to present views and my answer is no. Maybe in the past the Te Arawa Maori Trust Board held that mantle, but it is different now. Perhaps it is time that we develop our own parliament where we can delve into issues in a bigger way. Some suggest that Tuhourangi will talk for themselves, just as Ngati Rangiwewehi will, on issues that affect us. That is right, but there are some many more issues to be considered as an iwi, at a national level, where we must take a united stand lest we get left out of the discussion altogether.

I for one am ready to begin the conversation.

I welcome your feedback. Email, mpwaiariki@parliament.govt.nz or phone (07) 350 3261.

- Te Ururoa Flavell is the Waiariki MP and the co-leader of the Maori Party.

Maori translation

Kei nga pumanawa o te ao Maori tena ano tatou.

Kua timata tuturu nei aku mahi. I nga wiki kua hipa, i hangai tonu taku korero ki te marae me te ahuatanga o tenei kaupapa ara o te tiaki i te manuhiri.

I kitea tera ahuatanga i te Poukai i tu ki Kokohinau marae, Te Teko inatatanei i te taenga atu o Te Kingi Maori me tana hikuroa. He aha te Poukai? Koia nei tetahi kaupapa i whakatinanahia e Te Puea i te wa i a ia, i te wa i rongo nei a Tainui i te ngau o te poharatanga, o te rawakore. Ko te Poukai he kaupapa e hangai tonu ana ki te pani, te rawakore me te pouaru. He powhiri te mahi, he karakia te mahi, he korero te mahi, he kai te mahi, he wananga te mahi. Ko "whanau ora"tera i tona hohonutanga.

E kiia ana, "ko te kai o te rangatira he korero". Koia te ahuatanga i Ratana Pa. I reira ko te Hahi Ratana, ko te Hahi Ringatu, ko te Kingi Maori ano hoki tae atu ki nga kaikorero o etahi iwi. Ko ta ratou ko te whakatakoto i nga take e ai ki ta ratou (a iwi, a hahi nei) i rongo, i whakaaro. He rawe tera, koia te ataahua o te marae.

Heoi ano, ko te mate ke, ko tenei. Ka whakatakoto nga kaikorero i te taha o nga iwi i o ratou whakaaro, katahi ka tu nga mema torangapu ki te korero. Ko etahi i whakautu i nga take, ko etahi i rere ki wahi ke, a, kaore nga taha e rua i tino noho ki te wetewete i nga take korero. Ina ke nga painga mena ka pera.

Ka mutu ana te korero, he kapu tii te mahi, ka hoki ki te kainga, a, kaore te nuinga i te mohio mena i whai hua aua aki, kaore ranei.

Ko etahi kua patai i te patai mena kei a Te Arawa tetahi momo ropu kotahi nei e noho ana hei reo mo Te Arawa, a ko taku ko te kii ake, "kao, karekau".

I nga ra o mua pea, ko te Poari Maori o Te Arawa i noho hei mana mo te waka engari kua rereke noa atu te ahuatanga inaianei. Tera pea kua eke ki te wa, ki te whakatu i tetahi momo Paremata kia taea ai e tatou te ruku hohonu nei ki nga take. E ai ki ta etahi, ko nga take o Tuhourangi, ma Tuhourangi era e korero, ko nga take o Ngati Rangiwewehi, mana ano e korero. He pai tonu tera engari e hia ke nei nga take nui e noho nei hei take korero mo te motu engari kua noho kore mohio nei tatou na te kore noho tahi.

Heoi ano mena he korero au mo tenei take, tukua mai.