Omāhu Marae.
Photo: Lauren Crimp/RNZ
About three hundred Māori leaders are expected to meet today in Omāhu near Hastings to discuss a proposal that could include the creation of a new pan-Māori assembly.
The Assembly would foster a collective response to government challenges posed by Māori.
Hui dubbed Wānanga-ā-Motu follows on from a series of hui which began last January with the call by the late Kiingi Tuheitia for Māori to unite.
One of those hui hosted by Ngāti Kahungunu and held at Omāhu in May, attracted around 3500 people.
The working group that emerged from the May hui proposed a model for advancing Māori aspirations and responding to government challenges called Te Whare o te Rangatiratanga.
The model consists of three parts or ‘spheres’ – first an assembly of iwi, hapū and other Māori groups, second the Crown and Parliament, and third a joint deliberative body.
Bayden Barber of Ngāti Kahungunu speaking as a delegation including representatives from Kīngitanga, Rātana, Parihaka and Te Pāti Māori are welcomed to Te Whare Rūnanga on the treaty grounds on 4 February 2024.
Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
Ngāti Kahungunu iwi and Kahukuranui Whare are once again hosting iwi leaders from across the country.
Chair Bayden Barber said Te Whare o te Rangatiranga is an important proposal to wānanga (discuss).
“We hosted the motu back in May, this is an opportunity to return to Omāhu and further refine the thinking. A full presentation will be put forward on ‘Te Whare o te Rangatiratanga’ which can be dissected by the motu.”
Barber said any solution going forward must have Maori buy-in.
Omāhu leader Rev. Zhane Tiopira Tāhau said that while this wānanga is not expected to be as large as last year’s hui, they are encouraging iwi to send their representatives.
“We want to hold the wānanga inside our tīpuna Whare, Kahukuranui which can probably hold around 250 people, there will be an overflow outside, but we want to limit the numbers to about 300-400 people.”
Kahukuranui, who was Kahungunu and Rongomaiwahine’s eldest son said, “Han whare tū ki paenga, han kai mā te ahi, han whare tū ki te pā tūwatawata o Kahukuranui he tohu nō te rangatira.”
“This proverb speaks of not being the house on the fringes, but rather part of a collective within the security of Kahukuranu’s Pā. We must move forward together,” said Tāhau
Kiingitanga has confirmed its representation at Wānanga-ā-motu.
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