One New Zealand Foundation Inc.

While Prime Minister, Hon John Key sent then Minister of Maori Affairs, Hon Pita Sharples to the United Nations to sign the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous people, neither of them knew who these people were as Government did not have a definition of the indigenous people of New Zealand. See letter from Hon Pita Sharples below.

In Pita Sharples statement to the UN, he could only say, “Maori hold a distinct and special status as the indigenous people, or tangata whenua, of New Zealand”. In other words, there was no evidence that Maori were the indigenous people of New Zealand, just that, “Maori hold a distinct and special status as the indigenous people, or tangata whenua, of New Zealand”.

This was endorsed by, Dr Ranginui Walker, past Professor of Maori Studies at Auckland University who wrote in the “1986 New Zealand Yearbook”, page 18, “The traditions are quite clear on one point, whenever crew disembarked there were already tangata whenua (prior inhabitants) living in New Zealand”.

While Lt. Governor Hobson called the natives, “New Zealanders” in his Treaty of Waitangi draft, Rev Henry Williams who translated the Treaty of Waitangi, called the natives who were to sign the Treaty, “tangata Maori” to distinguish the natives from “All the people of New Zealand”. (The Pakeha)

Rev Henry Williams had been living in New Zealand since 1822, so he must have known from stories told by the tangata Maori, they were not the indigenous people or the tangata whenua. It must also be remembered, Lt. Governor Hobson, James Busby and Rev Henry Williams checked the translation of the Treaty for an hour before it was read to the gathering at Waitangi on 5 February 1840. If the 540 chiefs who signed the Treaty did not agree with being called tangata Maori, then I am sure they would have complained. They did not! 

Not only is there no evidence that tangata Maori were the Indigenous People of New Zealand, the 540 chiefs agreed they would, “Have the same rights as the people of England”, which would include government, health and all services supplied by one government under one flag and one law, irrespective of race, colour or creed.  

Here we have a government allowing a small group of New Zealand citizens, with no evidence they are the indigenous people of New Zealand, and in most cases, with only a minute trace of tangata Maori ancestry, about to run the country.

How ridiculous is this! Are you going to stand by and let it happen?

Until Government and todays part-Maori can prove with documented, forensic evidence that their tangata Maori ancestors were the indigenous people of New Zealand, then He Puapua must be shelved immediately! 

Hon John Key sent Hon Pita Sharples to the UN to sign the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People without mandate from the people of New Zealand or any evidence who these people were.

Hon Jacinda Ardern, must come up with the evidence or shelve He Puapua immediately because she has no evidence or mandate from the People to let it proceed!   

Ross Baker, Researcher, One New Zealand Foundation Inc. Email: ONZF@bigpond.com.au 

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