Te Kahu o Taonui Taitokerau Iwi Chairs Collective is urging its uri at the anti-mandate protests in Wellington to return home and help with the Covid-19 response in the north.
Te Kahu o Taonui spokesperson Makere Mutu told Te Ao Māori News the call for its people to return is in support of mana whenua iwi in Wellington, who have asked protestors to respect the whenua, and end the protest.
"Kua kite i reira e takatakahi ana te mana o ngā mana whenua o reira. Kahore tēnā he āhuatanga pai. Nō reira, ahakoa kua waea atu wētahi ki ngā mana whenua o Te Whanganui a Tara i mua i tō rātou haeraenga atu ki reira, ā he harikoa te mana whenua i tēnā, kua tae ki te wā kia hoki mai ki te kāinga. (We've seen they're trampling on the mana whenua, which isn't good. So even though some called mana whenua before going down and they agreed at the time, it's time now to go home.)
"Ko te īnoi a Ngāti Toa Rangatira, me Taranaki Whānui kia haere i runga i te rangimarie, kia kaua e hoki ki te kainga e pukuriri ana, kia mahia ngā mahi kino e kōrerotia ana ki Pōneke. Ko te mea tika kia hoki ki te kainga, noho ai, whakawhitiwhiti kōrero ai mō ngā raruraru, mō ngā āwangawanga. (They've asked for the protestors to leave in peace. Don't leave angrily or continue the abuse that's seen down there. It's time to return home and continue the discussions.)
Diminishes iwi and hauora work
Te Kahu o Taonui says it supports the right to peaceful protest but it believes this has gone on far too long and "has taken away from the extraordinary work of our iwi and local health authorities in keeping our communities, kaumātua and whānau safe from this pandemic."
Mutu says every individual has the right to make their own decision but is asking Tai Tokerau uri to think beyond their individual situation.
"I raro i ngā kōrero ā ngā mātua tīpuna tuku iho, kia manaakitia, kia aroha atu tētahi ki tētahi. Ko te mea nui ko te tangata, a ko ngā tangata katoa, arā ko te hāpori. Ko tēnei mea te werohanga ki haumarutia ai tātou katoa." (Each individual has his or her opinion about the vaccination. But our ancestors said we must care and love one another, the most important thing is the collective and our communities. This vaccination is to keep everyone safe.)
Te Kahu o Taonui says it will continue to build on the work over the last 23 months with police and government agencies around border controls and vaccinations, while also continuing to advocate for, hapū, iwi of the north and te iwi Māori as a whole, and is urging Tai Tokerau uri to return home and help.