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November 11, 2021
One of Brian Tāmaki’s iwi, Ngāti Hikairo, want him to take a ‘whānau first’ approach to the COVID pandemic.
Waatea Team
Posted On November 11, 2021
Media Release: Te Rūnanganui o Ngāti Hikairo
One of Brian Tāmaki’s iwi, Ngāti Hikairo, want him to take a ‘whānau first’ approach to the COVID pandemic.
Te Rūnanganui o Ngāti Hikairo was concerned to see babies and tamariki at Tuesday’s rally in
Wellington, organised by a ‘Freedom’ group set up by Tāmaki. Many people were unmasked.
The Rūnanganui support vaccines and ‘dot’ passports as a way of managing the pandemic. They’re concerned that Mr Tāmaki, who is one of their own, is asking Māori communities to undermine the science. This will put their people at risk.
The homeland of Ngāti Hikairo around Kāwhia and Te Awamutu is on the verge of a major outbreak, which worries the Rūnanga.
The ‘fight for freedom’ is not about freedom at all, as freedom comes with obligations. We all have the right to safety, and the right to life! If they object to measures that protect other people’s lives, in our view they are not fighting for justice or freedom.
Their focus on the rights of individuals reminds us of colonisation. This is not tika or consistent with Ngāti Hikairo values. The fight against COVID has been a collective one. It is not justice, or freedom, to pull apart the systems that have saved lives.
The Rūnanganui is concerned about the recent marches run by Tāmaki and the Destiny Church. As a member of Ngāti Hikairo, the Rūnanganui wants Mr Tāmaki to call on his supporters to do everything they can to stem the pandemic.
‘We have a responsibility to ask our people to do everything we can to protect one another.’
Brian carries a Ngāti Hikairo surname, and with that name comes the obligation to protect Ngāti Hikairo whānau.
Mā tō rourou, mā taku rourou. ka ora ai te iwi.
Susan Turner
Chair Te Rūnanganui o Ngāti Hikairo
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