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A senior Maori National MP is calling out kapa haka groups who say they won’t take part in welcomes connected with the Trans Pacific Partnerhip Agreement.
Te Waka Huia announced during its performances at the Tamaki Herenga Waka Festival it was boycotting this week’s signing, and they challenged other kaihaka to follow suit.
Education Minister Hekia Parata says it’s getting its role confused.
" It is typical or has become typical for kapa haka to travel with our government trade delegations to China to parts of Asia to north America to Europe. Those have all been trade agreements reached following the same process as the TPPA so I find it a little incongruous to say well this particular trade agreement we're against but all the others we've supported we're ok," she says.
Hekia Parata says powhiri are about challenge and debate, and won’t be seen as a sign of accepting the deal.
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