1. Because Māori culture in 1840 was primarily an oral one, what was said at the time would matter much more than what was signed (the opposite of the British model). The missionaries verbally assured rangatira that their sovereignty was acknowledged.

2. Te Tiriti o Waitangi includes Hobson’s signature on behalf of the Crown and 543 signatures of rangatira, and is therefore legally the ‘document of significant signature’. An English version has only 39 signatures – and those 39 rangatira had debated the meaning of the Māori text, before signing what they believed was te Tiriti.

3. In law, when the intent or meaning of a legally binding contract is not clear, the principle of contra proferentem applies – this means that the decision goes against the party that drafted the ambiguous provisions; in this case, the Crown.

4. This principle, when applied to treaties between indigenous peoples and governments, suggests the meaning of the indigenous language text has precedence over other understandings.

5. As well as the contra proferentem principle, it is necessary to remember that all of the discussions at the signings were in Māori. In Māori law the words spoken were crucial. Indeed Sir James Henare once said that the key to the Treaty’s meaning and mana lay in the Māori text – “ko te mana te kupu, ko te kupu te mana”.

6. Finally, the population was something like 200,000 Māori and about 2,000 Pākehā at the time of the signing. It is absurd to suggest that those rangatira who signed Te Tiriti would have voluntarily given up their power to a foreign entity, after having declared their national sovereignty and independence just five years previously.

So there are several grounds, logical, legal and moral, for giving precedence to Te Tiriti o Waitangi over the English version. Despite this, in 1975 the New Zealand parliament required the Waitangi Tribunal to give equal weight to both texts, the rationale being that both carry signatures.

Maori are committing suicide in their droves in fact 70% higher for Maori/Pacific teens to commit suicide than non-Maori. More New Zealanders under the age of 25 die from suicide than from all medical causes combined.  First nations psychologists show the violent legacy of colonization has left a dark shadow on the contemporary lives of young people, so that around the world, suicide rates for indigenous peoples are much higher than for non-indigenous peoples in the same country.

When I was at school there were approx. 20 Māori students out of 800 students three of those Maori students committed suicide before they turned 25. I don’t recall any non-Maori committing suicide at school but I may be wrong.

The solution to suicide is for Maori collectively to take the steps to self-determination and avoid being alienated in a British-colonial society.

Many Treaty haters love to run down the Tribal corporate model  in seething envy of its success compared to corporations.

Here is a list of reasons why the Iwi model is superior to top heavy corporations

• Many decisions are made at Hui (meeting) democratically by share holders –in a Corporation the Board make all the decisions.
• A CEO of an Iwi is paid $80k and Finance company CEO $500k Plus bonuses
• An Iwi is less prone to corruption as shareholders are only too willing to replace the CEO if he/she under performs
• In a Corporation a board member will be on many company directorships and is building personal wealth
• A Iwi CEO is  building generational wealth for his entire tribe not a personal fortune
• The profits from Iwi tribal profits goes towards Scholarships for share holders

Since the first treaty settlement in 1992 Iwi have managed to build $1 Billion dollars of settlements into $35 Billion and the New Zealand stock exchange is valued at $45 Billion. Their is not a scrap of evidence tribal Iwi are inferior to any other organisation in building wealth. This leads you to believe had the New Zealand settlements act 1863 not confiscated millions of acres of  land under Iwi management today NZ would produce far more wealth than under colonial control.

The importance of the declaration of Independence is it declares the United Tribes of New Zealand as a sovereign independent state. As this pre dates the Treaty of Waitangi by 5 years and means the Treaty of Waitangi is a Treaty between two states not as the mainstream would like you to believe a bunch of savages and the almighty British Empire. Yet the New Zealand government still refuses to ratify the Treaty of Waitangi and the entrenched Treaty hate industry is pleading ratifying the Treaty will make them second class citizens yet they consistently fail to mention how.

Declaration of Independence of New Zealand

1. We, the hereditary chiefs and heads of the tribes of the Northern parts of New Zealand, being assembled at Waitangi, in the Bay of Islands, on this 28th day of October, 1835, declare the Independence of our country, which is hereby constituted and declared to be an Independent State, under the designation of The United Tribes of New Zealand.

2. All sovereign power and authority within the territories of the United Tribes of New Zealand is hereby declared to reside entirely and exclusively in the hereditary chiefs and heads of tribes in their collective capacity, who also declare that they will not permit any legislative authority separate from themselves in their collective capacity to exist, nor any function of government to be exercised within the said territories, unless by persons appointed by them, and acting under the authority of laws regularly enacted by them in Congress assembled.

3. The hereditary chiefs and heads of tribes agree to meet in Congress at Waitangi in the autumn of each year, for the purpose of framing laws for the dispensation of justice, the preservation of peace and good order, and the regulation of trade; and they cordially invite the Southern tribes to lay aside their private animosities and to consult the safety and welfare of our common country, by joining the Confederation of the United Tribes.

4. They also agree to send a copy of this Declaration to His Majesty, the King of England, to thank him for his acknowledgement of their flag; and in return for the friendship and protection they have shown, and are prepared to show, to such of his subjects as have settled in their country, or resorted to its shores for the purposes of trade, they entreat that he will continue to be the parent of their infant State, and that he will become its Protector from all attempts upon its independence.

Agreed to unanimously on this 28 day of October, 1835, in the presence of His Britannic Majesty’s Resident.

(Here follows the signatures or marks of thirty-five Hereditary chiefs or Heads of tribes, which form a fair representation of the tribes of New Zealand from the North Cape to the latitude of the River Thames.)
English witnesses:
(Signed) Henry Williams, Missionary, C.M.S.
George Clarke, C.M.S.
James C. Clendon, Merchant.
Gilbert Mair, Merchant.

I certify that the above is a correct copy of the Declaration of the Chiefs, according to the translation of Missionaries who have resided ten years and upwards in the country; and it is transmitted to His Most Gracious Majesty the King of England, at the unanimous request of the chiefs.

(Signed) JAMES BUSBY, British Resident at New Zealand.

Here is everyday sayings that have leaked into mainstream New Zealand culture that originated from Maori culture.

Choice: An expression of joy

Hard out: An extreme case ie; “Ow she hard out likes you cuz.” You can reply back by saying, “hard cuz”

Nga mihi ki a Hotorene Brown for these Maorisms
Wace As in, wace not even, no real meaning just sounded good to emphasize the sentence. Kinda like an “Et Ah”

Charlie More commonly used in Rotorua (Mourea). This is a person who is suspected of something. Combine “wace” and you get ” Wace, look at that shameless charlie”

Uush/Oosh Used to to whakakaha a situation, to emphasise

Nga mihi ki a Keri Stevens for “Fuuu”;
Fuuu or Feww Used to emphasise an action ie; “Fuuu bay you are massive alright”

Nga mihi ki a Mel Kemp for “Yea Nah”
Yea nah Means yea nah!

Cheeaa As in “Cheeaa” neat alright

Arxe To be a real RMF you gotta replace ask with “Arxe”, sounds way better ie Aw baby, can I “arxe” you something?”

Suss Is to organise. “Ow bro, shall we suss it out laters?

Nga mihi ki a Ripeka Riwai mo enei kupu
Nek minute Pretty much means, next minute. Commonly used when retelling a funny event

Your all shet Means the same thing but emphasising shet

Nemind yours Means never mind your stoopid remark or never mind you

In 1989 24 years ago the 4th labour government under the leadership of the Right Honourable Sir Geoffrey Palmer established the Treaty principles. A modern day update to our founding national document.

• The acquisition of sovereignty in exchange for the protection of rangatiratanga.
• The Treaty established a partnership, and imposes on the partners the duty to act reasonably and in good faith.
• The freedom of the Crown to govern.
• The Crown’s duty of active protection.
• The duty of the Crown to remedy past breaches.
• Māori to retain rangatiratanga over their resources and taonga and to have all the privileges of citizenship.
• Duty to consult.

Principle of government or the kawanatanga principle 

Article 1 gives expression to the right of the Crown to make laws and its obligation to govern in accordance with constitutional process. This sovereignty is qualified by the promise to accord the Māori interests specified in article 2 an appropriate priority. This principle describes the balance between articles 1 and 2: the exchange of sovereignty by the Māori people for the protection of the Crown. It was emphasised in the context of this principle that ‘the Government has the right to govern and make laws’.

Principle of self-management (the rangatiratanga principle) 

Article 2 guarantees to Māori hapū (tribes) the control and enjoyment of those resources and taonga that it is their wish to retain. The preservation of a resource base, restoration of tribal self-management, and the active protection of taonga, both material and cultural, are necessary elements of the Crown’s policy of recognising rangatiratanga.
The Government also recognised the Court of Appeal’s description of active protection, but identified the key concept of this principle as a right for iwi to organise as iwi and, under the law, to control the resources they own.

Principle of equality 

Article 3 constitutes a guarantee of legal equality between Māori and other citizens of New Zealand. This means that all New Zealand citizens are equal before the law. Furthermore, the common law system is selected by the Treaty as the basis for that equality, although human rights accepted under international law are also incorporated. Article 3 has an important social significance in the implicit assurance that social rights would be enjoyed equally by Māori with all New Zealand citizens of whatever origin. Special measures to attain that equal enjoyment of social benefits are allowed by international law.

Principle of reasonable cooperation 

The Treaty is regarded by the Crown as establishing a fair basis for two peoples in one country. Duality and unity are both significant. Duality implies distinctive cultural development while unity implies common purpose and community. The relationship between community and distinctive development is governed by the requirement of cooperation, which is an obligation placed on both parties by the Treaty. Reasonable cooperation can only take place if there is consultation on major issues of common concern and if good faith, balance, and common sense are shown on all sides. The outcome of reasonable cooperation will be partnership.

Principle of redress 

The Crown accepts a responsibility to provide a process for the resolution of grievances arising from the Treaty. This process may involve courts, the Waitangi Tribunal, or direct negotiation. The provision of redress, where entitlement is established, must take account of its practical impact and of the need to avoid the creation of fresh injustice. If the Crown demonstrates commitment to this process of redress, it will expect reconciliation to result.

Often the Treaty haters like to bleat on about “One Law for All”  and pretend Maori have special rights over and above other New Zealanders. Then why can’t New Zealand adopt One Rule for all dating back from 6^th Feb 1840. If the state only confiscated land from Brown New Zealanders and sold it for a fee simple to White Colonial New Zealanders then why doesn’t the One rule for all apply historically. If land confiscation was illegal then the government should reimburse the farmers their fee simple 5 Pounds and return the land to its rightful owners. The New Zealand Settlements Act 1863 was outside the law. In fact it breached other far more important laws and agreements.

1) The Constitutions Act -The state may not procure private land

2) The Magna Carta –A right to due process

3) The Treaty of Waitangi –Undisturbed Estates

If we want uncompromising blankets rules then those rules need to apply when there have been injustices historically. Why should the confiscation of 2 Million Acres go unnoticed and  3 generations later Maori get told to “Get Over it” because we are adopting a One rule for all from today is unethical.

At the Automobile Association (AA) in Manukau it is widely known that if a Maori/Polynesian person attempts to sit their drivers licence in Maunkau they will fail at a cost of approx $80. If that same person attends the AA in Howick they will pass. Take Juliet for instance today she booked in at Manukau AA and she failed her drivers licence test next week she will book in at Howick and pass. Now Juliet is an interesting mixture she is of Maori and Chinese descent so she gets discriminated for being Maori radical and also has the stigma of being Asian driver. Juliet should never have had to apply for a drivers licence as she already had her full drivers licence but due to a mistake on behalf of the AA in her credentials they made her resit her test from scratch

This is how I suspect the AA racially profiles each applicant

1) It is common knowledge most Maori/Polynesian applicant in Manukau have been driving around for years without a licence so Manukau has decided to make the testing more difficult for experienced drivers that is unethical when experienced drivers should pass easily.

2) New Zealand is very welcoming of Asian immigration and are making efforts easier for Asian drivers in Howick to integrate into New Zealand society due to perceived wealth.

3) Revenue gathering in coordination with land transport authority – Maori/Polynesian people get pulled over and fined as drivers licencing is too hard.

It is common knowledge on facebook amongst Maori/Pacific Islanders to get their drivers licence they need to go to Howick.

Rest in peace old friend  I wouldn’t be able to watch Maori Television tonight if it not been for you.

Actor Sir Ben Kingsley is wearing a full facial Moko in the upcoming sci-fi movie Ender’s Game. He is  playing a Maori character Mazer Rackham. Sir Ken Kingsley character a Maori military instructor was selected as the Maori people are the most warlike race on Earth and Earth has been invaded by Aliens. This seems appropriate as Maori fought against the combined might of the British Army and the British awarded themselves 15 Victoria crosses . Consistently Maori are being used by Hollywood as characters for example Cloud Atlas starring  Tom Hanks and Haillie Berry.