202 the contemporary pacific • 31:1 (2019) otr, Overseas Territories Review. Blog. and Internet news. Tahiti. http://www http://overseasreview.blogspot.com .tahiti-infos.com Pareti, Samisoni. 2017. French in the tntv, Tahiti Nui Télévision (The country House: Pacific Islands Go French. Islands government’s television network). Business, Aug. http://tntv.pf Polynésie Première (French Polynesia pro- TPM, Tahiti-Pacifique Magazine. gram of Outre-mer Première, the French Fortnightly. Tahiti. http://www.tahiti government television network for over- -pacifique.com seas departments and collectivities) http:// United Nations. Question of French http://la1ere.francetvinfo.fr/polynesie 2017 Polynesia. Resolution adopted by the Gen- Regnault, Jean-Marc. 2017. Formes eral Assembly on 7 December. UN General et méforme de la présence française en Assembly, 72nd session. a/res/72/101. Océanie. In L’Océanie Convoitée: Actes http://www.un.org/en/ga/search/view_doc des colloques, edited by Sémir Al Wardi, .asp?symbol=A/72/PV.66 [accessed 26 Aug Jean-Marc Regnault, and Jean-François 2018] Sabouret, 151–159. Papeete: ‘Api Tahiti; Paris: cnrs Éditions. unesco, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Rival, Yann. 2017. Investissements étrang- 2018. World Heritage List. http://whc ers en Océanie et développement durable: .unesco.org/en/list/ [accessed 26 Aug Projet de ferme aquacole de Hao et projet 2018] du Mahana Beach. In In L’Océanie Con- voitée: Actes des colloques, edited by Sémir Walker, Taaria. 1999. Rurutu: Mémoires Al Wardi, Jean-Marc Regnault, and Jean- d’avenir d’une île Australe. Papeete: François Sabouret, 337–343. Papeete: Haere Po No Tahiti. ‘Api Tahiti; Paris: cnrs Éditions. rnz, Radio New Zealand. Daily radio and Internet news. Wellington. Māori Issues http://www.radionz.co.nz The general election delivered Saura, Bruno. 2009. Tahiti Mā’ohi: Cul- 2017 ture, identité, religion et nationalisme en twenty-nine members of Parliament Polynésie française. Pirae: Au Vent des Iles. of Māori descent, twenty of whom are in government, with eight of Tahoeraa Huiraatira. 2018a. Abu Dhabi: those becoming ministers. Māori Le mandataire financier du groupe Al also featured in sporting successes, Manhal monte au créneau. Press release. Printed copy in author’s files. especially women’s rugby and men’s softball. At the same time, racism ———. 2018b. Programme Tahiti Nui against Māori became more blatant as 2035 – Des milliers d’emplois. Election decisions to allow Māori to have their program booklet. Printed copy in author’s own representation in local govern- files. ment were all successfully overturned. Tavini Huiraatira. 2018. Servir l’Avenir: Māori continue to be dispropor- Notre programme, avec vous, pour vous! tionately impacted by the effects of Election program booklet. Printed copy in poverty in stark contrast to the Pākehā author’s files. (European) population, which enjoys TI, Tahiti Infos. Weekday daily newspaper relative affluence. That drew criticism political reviews • polynesia 203 yet again from two United Nations long-serving members of Parliament. treaty bodies as Māori continue to be His father, Sir Eruera, his sister, Whetū denied our rights under both Te Tiriti (Tirikātene-Sullivan), and his nephew, o Waitangi and the United Nations Te Rino, have all served as members of Declaration on the Rights of Indig- Parliament for the Southern Māori or enous Peoples. Since coming to power Te Tai Tonga electorate (Waatea News in late 2017, the new government has 2018b). appeared to be more caring than the Artist, teacher, master carver, and last, but little has changed for the large heritage advocate Dr Cliff Whiting number of Māori struggling to survive of Te Whānau a Apanui passed away in increasingly harsh socioeconomic in July 2017. He worked on a num- conditions while still trying to protect ber of modern-day meetinghouses our natural resources from overexploi- including the spectacular Te Hono ki tation. Before reviewing these issues, Hawaiki on Rongomaraeroa Marae we will pause to remember a number at the Museum of New Zealand Te of leaders we lost during this period, Papa Tongarewa, Te Kupenga o Te all of whom spent their lives fighting Mātauranga at Palmerston North to achieve justice for Māori. Teachers’ College, Maru Kaitatea on Ngāi Tahu of Te Waipounamu (the Takahanga Marae in Kaikoura, and South Island) lost some well-loved and Tahu Pōtiki on Te Rau Aroha Marae widely respected elders and leaders. in Bluff. He also undertook large-scale Trevor Howse passed away in May murals for a number of government 2017. He helped organize and drive buildings including the New Zealand Ngāi Tahu’s treaty claim behind the MetService, the National Library of scenes, collating a vast amount of the New Zealand, and the Christchurch information that was presented to the High Court (Hunt 2017). Waitangi Tribunal. He was also part of Strong, outspoken, yet gentle Māori the Ngāi Tahu team that spearheaded rights advocate Nuki Aldridge of the negotiation process and resulted in Ngāpuhi passed away in November one of the biggest treaty claims settle- 2017. His expertise and knowledge of ments to date (Te Rūnanga o Ngāi northern history was legend, particu- Tahu 2014). So too was Kuao Langs- larly that relating to the formation of bury, who passed away in October. the collective of leaders, Te Whaka- He first took a leadership role in Ngāi minenga o Ngā Hapū o Nu Tireni, Tahu in 1961 when he was elected the who were responsible for the country’s chair of Ōtākou Rūnanga at the age first constitutional document, the of twenty-five (Waatea News 2017a). 1835 He Whakaputanga o te Rangati- Then in January 2018 it was the gentle ratanga o Nu Tireni, or the declara- elder, leader, and Māori language, tion of hapū (grouping of extended culture, and history teacher Kukupa families) sovereignty often referred Tirikātene. He provided advice and to in English as the Declaration of support for Ngāi Tahu’s leadership Independence. Nuki was a key witness and contributed to the recovery of in the hearings of the Waitangi Tribu- their dialect of the Māori language. nal on the mid-northern claims. The Tirikātene came from a family of tribunal went on to issue in 2014 its 204 the contemporary pacific • 31:1 (2019) groundbreaking findings that Ngāpuhi that it could hear claims dating back did not cede sovereignty to the British to 1840. He was a strong supporter when they signed Te Tiriti o Waitangi of the Waikato-Tainui Kīngitanga and in 1840. New Zealand’s constitutional was influential in the 1995 settlement arrangements and parliamentary of Waikato’s Tiriti o Waitangi claims institutions have all been built on the (E-tangata 2018). false assumption that Māori had ceded We bade each of these leaders and sovereignty. many others farewell over the past Ngāpuhi also lost another dedi- year as they commenced their journey cated Māori rights advocate, the to join their ancestors. highly respected broadcaster, Māori The results of the 2017 General language expert, and Vietnam War Election included the usual mixture of veteran Kingi Taurua. He passed away wins and losses for Māori. The Māori in May 2018. Taurua was steeped in Party had the biggest loss; none of its the history, traditions, and values of members returned to Parliament. They his ancestors and used his radio pro- had made too many concessions in grams to bring them to the fore. His order to sit on the government benches broadcasts of the discussions he held with their National Party coalition with other holders of such knowledge partner, denying the very Māori treaty from around the country are greatly and human rights they had been treasured. He was well known for elected to defend. In the lead-up to the challenging those he considered as elections, the Māori Party’s minister not upholding the honor and integ- of Māori Development had become rity of their ancestors, and he had increasingly embattled with his own little regard for those who bullied the constituents. people. His patience and calm consis- The election results indicated that tency often averted crises at Waitangi, no fewer than 29 members of Parlia- especially during Waitangi Day com- ment of Māori descent are now in memorations. the House, spread across five parties: Keita Walker of Ngāti Porou of the National, Labour, the Greens, New East Coast also passed away in May. Zealand First, and act New Zealand. She was a champion of Māori lan- These members owe allegiance to their guage and culture. After a long career parties first, not to Māori. There are in education, she joined the Waitangi only 7 members (in a 120-seat Parlia- Tribunal in 1993. She also sat on ment) who are specifically mandated many tribal and land boards on the to represent Māori. However, even east coast, including chairing Radio they must put their party’s wishes Ngati Porou (Waatea News 2018a). ahead of the needs of their constitu- Dr Koro Wetere of Ngāti Mania- ents. All 7 Māori seats went to Labour poto passed away in June. He was and resulted in 8 Māori becoming the Labour member of Parliament for ministers. Voter turnout of 67 percent Western Māori from 1969 until 1996 in the Māori seats continued to be and the minister of Māori Affairs from much lower than the overall turnout 1984 until 1990. He extended the of 80 percent (Electoral Commission mandate of the Waitangi Tribunal so 2018). political reviews • polynesia 205 The new prime minister, Jacinda improvement for Māori in all areas Ardern, presented a softer, more car- will not be straightforward. Some ing, and better-informed approach Pākehā who have derived great than that of previous governments privilege and prosperity off the back when she visited Waitangi for the of Māori poverty and deprivation annual Waitangi Day commemora- are adamant that the status quo must tions in February.