Taakiri tuu te kotahitanga

Taakiri tuu te Mana Motuhake

Tihei mauri ora.

E te Ariki, titiro mai ki a maatou. Arahina maatouki te ora, inaa toona nui. Paimaarire

E ngaa maunga whakahii o te motu, hoki mai.

E ngaa rangatira o te iwi Maaori, o te ao katoa, tena koutou.

Nau mai haere mai e ngaa iwi katoa.

Thank-you all for coming. I want to acknowledge all our overseas guests: King Tupou and Queen Nanasi, Pomare Ariki, Ratu Tevita, and our friends of Hawai’i.

It’s been a big year.

In January, we all gathered here for Hui-aa-Motu and since then we’ve been on the go!

I want to thank Tumuaki Manuao and the people of Ratana, along with the iwi of Taitokerau and Ngaati Kahungunu. Being at Ratana, Waitangi and Omahu has been important. We’ve heard a lot of koorero and seen amazing sights and it’s not over yet! Next up is Ngāi Tahu in October – see you there! Let’s keep working for kotahitanga.

Our kotahitanga as Te Iwi Maaori must be focused on our future and where we are going. I believe that the future is a new horizon where Maaori take the lead.

You have shown me, and we have shown ourselves, what we can achieve when we lead. Kura Tuarua, Ako Ararau, and Toitu Te Reo are just a few examples of our magic as Maaori.

Let’s keep pushing forward. While we are currently facing a storm, there’s no need to worry. In this storm, we are stronger together. The wind in our sails is kotahitanga, and with that, we will reach our destination.

Our kotahitanga shouldn’t be focused on fighting against the Government. Instead, we need to focus on getting in the waka and working together. Mana Motuhake has room for everyone!

Let’s not tear ourselves apart; let’s build a way of life together. Make space for tauiwi and others who live here. Invite them into our tikanga and work together as Aotearoa. The kotahitanga I envision is about a way of life, not a committee or a board.

First, we need to dream, be creative, sing waiata, and let our culture flow. When I watch our tamariki perform, my heart is full. Let’s start there and prioritise what truly matters. Our kotahitanga can be whatever we decide. It doesn’t mean we give up anything; it’s about all of us together, side by side.

In the last nine months, we’ve travelled a lot—across the motu and around the world. Our culture is what makes Aotearoa special—our reo, our tikanga. When we travel overseas, we are respected and valued, but at home, things can feel different.

Just last week, we returned from France, from the Olympics. Everything came together—Paakehaa, Maaori, and all of us! Team New Zealand was amazing, and their use of tikanga Maaori as a voice for all of Aotearoa was very special. I want to honour them and all others like them.

Tikanga Maaori should be at the forefront of being a New Zealander. It’s what can unite us because it comes from this land. Our culture brings us together. Let’s embrace it at home and use it overseas. Let’s celebrate our Maaori identity every day! We can all do this, and it will help us grow.

Growing together is crucial. We’ve come a long way as a country, and we can go even further—let’s not give up now! Te Tiriti o Waitangi is between Maaori and the Crown—mana to mana. The treaty provides a foundation for us all to work together. Let’s not change it; that would harm us.

I want us to reach a place where Maaori and the Government don’t always need to fight. Fighting is bad for our mokopuna. The past has not been kind to Te Iwi Maaori—that's a fact. So, let’s change the future!

I don’t want politicians to lead the conversation about nationhood. That koorero should be led by us, the people.

Everything they do in Wellington is about getting votes for the next election. My call to the Government is to establish a non-political group to discuss our country's future under Te Tiriti. Let the people speak! We deserve to be heard more than just once every three years when we vote. For significant kaupapa like this, we should return to our tikanga and work through it together.

Whakarongo Mai - Are you listening, Wellington? There is a better way!

Believe in the power of tikanga Maaori to unite our nation. Our tikanga is here to bring us together, not divide us.

You may remember that at Hui-aa-Motu, I asked to hear from the four winds. We’ve heard from the west, the north, and the east. Now it’s time to hear from the south. I look forward to travelling to Ngāi Tahu in October to hear their koorero. There’s no rush to have all the answers.

Our people have come together—this is kotahitanga. This year, we’ve united across the motu and here at Koroneihana. We’ve celebrated the whakapapa that connects us as one. Now, the question is: what do we do next? There isn’t just one answer; each of us has our own role to play. The key to moving forward successfully lies in trusting one another and supporting each other in our roles, rather than making things harder. Let’s embrace this unity from all corners, from all directions.

What’s important is that we continue to listen and build together. We all need to be united in this. So, kia kaha e te iwi Maaori—let’s stay focused on the path ahead.

To all our whaanau working hard—I see you, and I hear you! Let’s work together to create the kotahitanga of our future—a kotahitanga that brings happiness for everyone!

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