Source: Radio New Zealand
NZ First leader Winston Peters speaking at Rātana. RNZ / Pokere Paewai
Analysis – Whether it was the prime minister’s absence, the demise of the Treaty Principles Bill, or the coming election, rhetoric at Rātana was cooler this year.
The weather was out to match, with thunder and heavy rain pouring down on what had been a sunny day before the politicians spoke.
The annual event sees political parties, other than ACT, make an appearance at the small settlement south of Whanganui in a pilgrimage to honour the birthday of the church’s founder Tahupōtiki Wiremu Rātana, who was known for his political mission as well as his spiritual one.
The past four years have led to fiery exchanges.
In 2023, Jacinda Ardern had just announced her resignation and Christopher Luxon was on the warpath – criticising Labour over co-governance for what he said was a “a “divisive and immature” debate.
Some would no doubt argue Luxon’s coalition deals later that year opened the door to yet more division and immaturity by allowing ACT’s Treaty Principles Bill to progress.
Politicians welcomed to Rātana. RNZ / Pokere Paewai
Having been named prime minister just the previous month, his reappearance at Rātana in 2024 saw him directly warned that Māori would fight any attempts to meddle with Te Tiriti.
That promise came to fruition that November with the hīkoi mō te Tiriti – believed to be New Zealand’s largest protest – for the bill’s first reading.
It was no surprise, then, that Luxon faced more anger when appearing at Rātana in 2025.
Kiingitanga representative Rahui Papa at the time warned Luxon Te Tiriti was “sacrosanct” and the Māori nation was “at the highest level of concern that it has been for a number of years”.
The anger was such that Luxon chose not to attend Waitangi that year.
The bill was then defeated in April, although its main proponent David Seymour had vowed to continue campaigning for it in the coming election.
Kiingitanga spokesperson Rahui Papa speaks to political parties. RNZ / Pokere Paewai
In a move supported by opponents like Chris Hipkins and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, Luxon chose to survey storm-damaged regions instead of returning to Rātana this year.
Doubtless that took some of the heat out of the exchanges at the pae, where Papa committed to working with any political party but that there were some times politicians should not get involved.
Another Kiingitanga representative, Tukoroirangi Morgan, said Māori had realised in response to the coalition that they had to stand on their own two feet.
“We can’t rely on the Crown to do everything for us… our people know that’s our reality,” he said.
“When you’re pushed into a corner and when you’re marginalised and minimised the way we have been – for all the pieces of legislation that have been demolished by this government – it makes us much more united… so that we can survive in the long term.”
He said if the election resulted in “more of the same” it would be challenging, but that this also reflected a maturation of the relationship between Crown and Māori.
That said, the relationship was not healthy.
“It’s pretty fractured right now,” Morgan said. “There’s a lot of separation. There’s huge division… we have a far greater desire to do things for ourselves.”
A separation; a relationship grown frosty. With all Seymour’s railing against the idea of the Treaty as a partnership, the Kiingitanga seems to have got that message.
The stance may be led by Kuini Arikinui Nga Wai hono i te po whose name signifies a connecting of peoples, and whose coronation in late 2024 has been followed by economic initiatives including a summit and a seed investment fund.
It points to a more independent Māoridom cutting any government purse strings that could lead to potential entanglement.
Or it may also show an inclination to turn over a new leaf, to turn the page, to draw a line under the divide – or simply to wait out the election to see how the chips fall.
“If you’re strong in your spirit and you’re strong in your wairua, then your physical ailments can be overcome,” Papa said.
The 7 November election date would also have been weighing on the minds of all those at Rātana, not least because of Papa pointing out that the following day, was the date Rātana received his vision.
But with nearly a full year of campaigning ahead, political parties are keeping some of their rhetorical gunpowder dry – and Papa knows this.
“Over the next wee while, we are expecting to hear your strategies, your procedures and your processes to be able to bolster, support te ao Māori – because when it’s good for Māori, it’s good for everybody,” he said.
“We want to go into a better tomorrow, and we can only do that when we sit down and talk with each other.”
Whether it’s Luxon sitting down for talks as prime minister again in a year’s time is anybody’s guess with the polls this close.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
