Tino rangatiratanga whānau are telling Brian Tāmaki and Don Brash to stay in Auckland this Waitangi Day, says Te Ao Pritchard of Te Ata Tino Toa.

They’re concerned that groups like Hobson’s Choice are co-opting the years of work they’ve achieved to support the kaupapa of the Treaty, like recognition of land rights and fighting for te reo Māori. Waitangi needs to remain a refuge for whānau who are committed to the kaupapa.

Destiny branding is a good example of this, using the colours of the tino rangatiratanga flag, while washing their hands of the Treaty and the Māori struggle.

‘Waitangi is our day, a day for Māori to fly the flag. If you’re not here to tautoko us, or debate on our terms, then stay in Auckland.’

The ‘Waitangi Forum Tent’ that Brash intends to speak at exists to host political discussions about Māori political empowerment and tino rangatiratanga. Inviting Brash would be like bringing Kerry-Anne Kennerly to an Indigenous tent on January 26.

Māori need allies - who will be our ally against hate speech? We need our own Yumi Stynes.

The group has a litmus test for whether Brash and Tāmaki are genuine in their support for the struggles of the little people, for true equality for the people of Aotearoa.

We challenge Brash to hīkoi with a Māori flag, joining the supporters of rangatiratanga who have been doing this for decades.

We challenge Brian to humbly join the walk on Saturday hosted by Auckland Pride, proudly waving a rainbow flag in solidarity with that kaupapa.

If these two men are not willing to take these small steps in solidarity with activists, then Waitangi is the wrong place for them and they should stay home in Tāmaki. Leave Waitangi as a place for supporters of Waitangi to wānanga and to energise.

*Te Ata Tino Toa is the group that advocated for the Māori flag to fly on Waitangi Day in 2007. After three years their tono was successful and the flag was flown from the Harbour Bridge.

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