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A Māori security consultant says Māori have a lot in cultural similarities with Islamic people that can help in showing support and solidarity with victims of the Christchurch mosque shooting.
Chris Kumeroa from Global Risk Security says questions can be asked about whether New Zealand authorities had downplayed the threat played by Islamophobia.
He says his own experience in the military and anti-terrorism work in the Middle East gave him an insight into working in Muslim communities.
"It's almost like looking at your cousins across the table because the language is very much the same, the kotahitanga, the manaakitanga that occurs between two cultural groups, you've got to ask yourself 'are we related?' So we've got to show solidarity not only as Māori towards the Muslim population locally and abroad but as New Zealanders, we need to separate general New Zealanders from these extremists and idiots," Mr Kumeroa says.
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