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Politics | Māori Party

Fight for Māori world view here but stay out of Ukraine - Waititi

Māori Party co-leader Rawiri Waititi says Aotearoa needs to view the world through a Māori worldview again to ensure future generations don’t suffer from the state abuse inflicted on many Māori in years past.

He was commenting on the Royal Commission Inquiry into state care abuse, which this week is asking government agencies to explain their behaviour.

“We have held that pain that hurt for a long time” Waititi said.

“The source of the pain and suffering goes back to when Europeans first arrived in New Zealand. It was also their churches, the Anglican and the English churches that came here.

“The creation of the government and its laws were designed to take people, land, culture and knowledge.”

“All those factors are to blame for why things have been the way they are.

‘Re-indigenise’

“How can we fix it? Re-indigenisation.

“We need to see the world as Māori so we can see our existence in the world, and the future. Otherwise, the European and other people will lead us. And what's the result of that? This is the result, of the intergenerational trauma and all the negative experiences to impact us. So let's try to stay strong in our Māori worldview, and fight for it".

But the party co-leader had reservations about the extra 120 soldiers being sent to the UK to help train Ukraine soldiers on light artillery.

Defence Minister Peeni Henare announced that today.

“I do not agree that we should enter into this war, it is not our place. We have nothing to do with this war. We must not choose sides and should stay neutral. We should be like Switzerland. “The reason is, as far as I know, we are going there, not of our own will, but instead blindly following the likes of America, Europe, Australia and England.”

*This article was edited to give a more accurate translation of the original Māori interview.