Why do Pasifika need to support the hikoi and Toitu Te Tiriti?
by Lefaoali’i Dr Dion Enari
As Pasifika people, I know we have all had that talk. Should we support Maori or not? After attending the Toitu te tiriti hikoi on Wednesday, I believe we need to stand with our Maori family now, more than ever before.
As an Indigenous Samoan I believe, unless you came to New Zealand and added your own piece of land, we are on Maori land. The land of our cousins. As family, it is our duty as Tangata Moana to stand in solidarity with our Maori family in their sovereignty fight.
When one is attacked, we are all attacked. As I saw several Pasifika at the hikoi, I was excited to hear their insights as well, interestingly my sentiments were shared. This is what some of them said.
“Attending the hikoi was important to me as a Tangata Moana and Tangata Tiriti, having migrated here from Tonga, because I understand how deeply sovereignty and connection to our land are woven into our identity. Being present was my way of honouring the va we, as Pasifika people, share with tangata whenua, as people of the moana. Walking with Maori…our shared whakapapa and it is an acknowledgment of Maori as our teina. To tautoko Maori is a way to honour that sacred va of tuakana and teina that we hold with each other” - Sisifa O Hufangalupe Wendt-Lui / Tonga
“For me it’s about empathy for our brothers and sisters who fight the same fight we do in protecting, preserving and perpetuating our land, language and culture. We come from the same ocean, essentially, we are family, and in family, no one gets left behind. I feel responsible to the people of the land my aiga gets to thrive on… We are Tangata Moana and Tagata te tiriti. The roots of which our beloved Tagata whenua have fought for so long to keep strong despite the constant uphill battle that is theirs and thus ours too"
I felt so uplifted and empowered today! And while... I’ve used the word fight, there was nothing but peace in my heart knowing that no matter what I see and hear on the news, my reality of it, is that Tangata whenua are getting stronger every single day. If we don’t honour Te Tiriti, we do not honour humanity. I encourage our Tagata Moana to invest in your knowledge of the history of the land you live on. The more you know, the more you can do. For how can we tautua, if we don’t know how or why” - Miss Samoa New Zealand, Precious Tusega / Samoa
“Our Tangata Moana communities must join the hikoi mo te tiriti because of our deep historical, cultural, and spiritual connections between Tangata Moana and Tangata Whenua peoples, which is rooted in our shared whakapapa and mutual Whakamana/respect. As the tuakana to Maori, Tangata Moana have a responsibility to stand in solidarity with Maori in advocating for the protection and affirmation of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
This whanaungatanga/interconnected famili ties reflects a commitment to justice, recognition, and the ongoing struggle for Maori sovereignty and the rights of Tangata Whenua in Aotearoa. By joining the hikoi, Tangata Moana not only honor our ancestral ties to Maori but also contribute to the collective effort to ensure that Te Tiriti is upheld for future generations, fostering unity, healing, and social equity for all. Because what’s good for Tangata whenua is good for Tangata Moana, and that’s good for all people” - Te Whatanui Leka Taumalolo Skipwith, Tongan/Maori
Photo Credit: Rand Hazou
I pray that as Pasifika, we flood the parliament grounds on the 19th the same way we flood the streets for our MMT parades and the Toa Samoa parades. Ake ake ake.
More: Explainer: The path ahead for the Treaty Principles Bill via 1News Why Pacific People Should Speak Te Reo Why the Treaty of Watangi is so important for Moana people - Lefaoali’i Dr Dion Enari is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Sport and Recreation, Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences at Auckland University of Technology. He holds a PhD in Samoan culture from Bond University, Gold Coast with a Master of International Relations from Griffith University. His Lefaoali’i (high talking Chief) title is from Lepa, Samoa. His research interests include Sport Management, Sport Leadership, Mental Health, Pacific language, Indigenous Studies, and Trans-nationalism.
