On Waitangi Day, thousands of tangata whenua, pakeha and tau iwi marched together in the hikoi to the treaty grounds with Tino Rangatiratanga and Mana Motuhake flags flying behind the Kotahitanga flag. A large contingent from Tuhoe was leading the hikoi, including some of the Urewera 17 activists. Key issues raised during this year’s Waitangi Day were the Resource Management Act, the Foreshore and Seabed legislation and the October 15 “anti-terror” raids.

In the lead up to Waitangi Day, there were public forum discussions on environmental issues, the Resource Management Act and the contested role of runanga in Maori affairs. Comment from the floor questioned the legitimacy of the RMA process, the extent to engage in it, and the fact it is still the state’s agenda. The panel maintained that at least since 1991 there has been this mechanism to input via consultation and the Courts. A First Nations woman from North America spoke passionately about the recent United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People and how crucial it is that people utilize the requirement that states seek the “free and informed consent” from indigenous peoples prior to any development

A woman from Ngati Kuri spoke about the struggle to stop the $6.5 million development project at Te Rerenga o nga Wairua (Cape Reinga). A hikoi was planned to leave Waitangi towards Te Rerenga Wairua today against development of sacred Maori land and the devastation on native flora and fauna. www.ngatikuri.tk/ The “Department of Constipation, of Confiscation” plans to build a Visitors center for tourism on this sacred and iconic land. “We will all be locked out of the Cape… tell the stories of our tupuna’s foot steps, our tupuna’s traditions, and the culture before you started marketing our culture and stories to the world. Promises of big spending on the Cape facilities whilst the local village of Te Apua still suffer and struggle for the derelict buildings, roads, schooling, housing etc. 6.5million dollars could be better spent on the social development of the people of the Far North.”

February 5th, the politicians had their opportunity to electioneer and gain the Maori vote for this year’s election. Five questions were asked to each politician present. 1) Why should Maori vote for them? 2) What are they going to do about the Maori seats? 3) Giving the rising number of other ethnicities, what policies do you wish to introduce to protect Maori rights? 4) Would your party be looking at repealing the Foreshore and Seabed legislation? 5) How does your party’s treaty settlements fully address Maori grievances? All the parties replied with quite typical answers, when they could be heard through the heckling and booing. One staunch woman called them all “capitalist rip off merchants”. John Key’s speech included no practical policies that would benefit Maori but told the crowd, “I’ll tell you what’s best for Maori” – neo-liberal ‘opportunities’, colonial education, training and capitalism. (Yes the rich white man always knows what’s best). The repeal of the Foreshore and Seabed legislation has been pulled out for further discussion this year but National and Labour are adamant in retaining their 2004 position.

On the morning of Waitangi Day, a panel of speakers from Tuhoe including Tame Iti discussed the police raids on October 15 and promoting Te Mana Motuhake o Tuhoe. “We need to be confronting the issue, it’s not going to go away. The question of Mana Motuhake, the right of Maori to govern themselves in this land is what the Treaty is all about!” said Annette Sykes. The support and fundraising for those affected by the October 15 raids continues. A new CD compilation has been released called “Tu Kotahi – Freedom Fighting Anthems” to fundraise for the organizations involved in supporting the Urewera 17. www.freedomfigherscd.org.nz