42,000 Crowd New Zealand’s Parliament Grounds in Support of Māori Rights

WELLINGTON: As tens of thousands of marchers crowded streets in New Zealand’s capital Wellington on Tuesday, throng of people, flags aloft, h air of a festival or a pare rar than a protest. y arrived to oppose a law that would reshape county’s founding treaty between Indigenous Māori and British Crown. But for many, it was about something more: a celebration of a resurging Indigenous language and identity that colonization h once almost destroyed.

“Just fighting for rights that our tūpuna, our ancestors, fought for,” Shanell Bob said as she waited for march to begin. “We’re fighting for our tamariki, for our mokopuna, so y can have what we haven’t been able to have,” she ded, using Māori words for children and grandchildren.

What was likely country’s largest-ever protest in support of Māori rights — a subject that has preoccupied modern New Zealand for much of its young history — followed a long trition of peaceful marches length of country that have marked turning points in history of modern New Zealand.

Māori marching for ir rights as outlined in treaty is not new. But crowds were larger than at treaty marches before and mood was changed, Indigenous people said.

“It’s different to when I was a child,” Bob said. “We’re stronger now, our tamariki are stronger now, y know who y are, y’re proud of who y are.”

As marchers moved through streets of Wellington with ringing Māori haka — rhythmic chants — and waiata, or songs, thousands more holding signs lined pavement in support.

Some placards bore jokes or insults about lawmakers responsible for bill, which would change meaning of principles of 1840 Treaty of Waitangi and prevent m from applying only to Māori — whose chiefs signed document when New Zealand was colonized.

But ors re “proud to be Māori” or acknowledged bearer’s heritage as a non-Māori person endorsing protest. Some denounced widespre expropriation of Māori land during colonization, one of main grievances arising from treaty.

“ treaty is a document that lets us be here in Aotearoa so holding it up and respecting it is really important,” said Ben Ogilvie, who is of Pākehā or New Zealand European descent, using Māori name for country. “I hate what this government is doing to tear it down.”

Police said 42,000 people tried to crowd into Parliament’s grounds, with some spilling into surrounding streets. People crammed mselves onto children’s slide on lawn for a vantage point; ors perched in trees. tone was almost joyful; as people waited to leave cramped area, some struck up Māori songs that most New Zealanders learn at school.

A sea of Māori sovereignty flags in red, black and white stretched down lawn and into streets. But marchers bore Samoan, Tongan, Indigenous Australian, U.S., Palestinian and Israeli flags, too. At Parliament, speeches from political leers drew attention to reason for protest — a proposed law that would change meaning of words in country’s founding treaty, cement m in law and extend m to everyone.

Its author, libertarian lawmaker David Seymour — who is Māori — says process of redress for deces of Crown breaches of its treaty with Māori has created special treatment for Indigenous people, which he opposes.

bill’s detractors say it would spell constitutional upheaval, dilute Indigenous rights, and has provoked divisive rhetoric about Māori — who are still disvantaged on almost every social and economic metric, despite attempts by courts and lawmakers in recent deces to rectify inequities caused in large part by breaches of treaty.

It is not expected to ever become law, but Seymour me a political deal that saw it shepherded through a first vote last Thursday. In a statement Tuesday, he said public could now make submissions on bill — which he hopes will reverse in popularity and experience a swell of support.

Seymour briefly walked out onto Parliament’s forecourt to observe protest, although he was not among lawmakers invited to speak. Some in crowd booed him.

protest was “a long time coming,” said Papa Heta, one of marchers, who said Māori sought acknowledgement and respect.

“We hope that we can unite with our Pākehā friends, Europeans,” he ded. “Unfortunately re are those that make decisions that put us in a difficult place.”

(This story is not edited by Republic and is published from a syndicated feed)