21 Maori Institutions and Political Systems

Maori institutions and political systems consist of:

The tribal associations are concerned with administering assets such as land, marae, compensation money paid by the Crown,
development and employment projects, education and training, health, communications media (radio, TV) cultural maintenance.

Pan-Maori associations concern themselves with political issues on a national front. Tribal associations are also concerned with political matters but usually confine themselves to pursuing their own parochial issues.

Ad hoc groups are characterised by a short life span in pursuit of single issues, e.g the Maori Land March, Waitangi Action Committee and the Hikoi ki Waitangi.

The Maori Women's Welfare League was formed in 1951. its primary concerns were family care, housing and early childhood education through play centres, homework centres and Kohanga Reo. The League holds one national conference a year.

The Maori Council was established under the Maori Welfare Act 1962. It has a wide ranging brief to promote the social, economic, educational, cultural and spiritual advancement of the Maori people. In recent years the Council has monitored legislation coming out of Parliament and taken issue with government over land and fisheries.

The League and the Maori Council are conservative organisations in that they do not challenge the legitimacy of the state.

In 1980 the Hon Matiu Rata broke away from the Labour Party to form Mana Motuhake to contest the four Maori seats.

The National Congress of Tribes formed in 1990 is comprised of forty or so affiliated tribes. It is self funding and independent of government. It does the same work as the Maori Council which it will eventually supercede if it survives financially.

The ad hoc associations such as Tamatoa and the Waitangi Action Committee initiated modern Maori activism by mounting protest activity at the annual Treaty of Waitangi celebrations. Their activism, combined with the Maori Land March 1975 culminated in the establishment of the Waitangi Tribunal in 1976 and the extension of the tribunal's powers back to 1840 in 1984.

The Waitangi Tribunal reports have helped transform Maori - Pakeha relationships

  1. In 1983 the tribunal ruled that the Crown has a responsibility to protect Maori fisheries from growth and development on the land such as the Motunui outfall.

  2. In 1985 the tribunal ruled the Maori language to be a taonga guaranteed protection under the Treaty of Waitangi.

  3. In 1987 the tribunal ruled the sea was divided into tribal zones and owned in the same way that land was owned.

  4. Following the tribunals ruling, Justice Grieg granted an injunction in the High Court against issue of Individual Transferable Quota. The judge could find no evidence of Maori having sold their property rights in the fisheries to the Crown.

  5. Maori Leaders claimed 100% ownership of the sea but conceded a willingness to share 50% with the Crown.

  6. The Maori Fisheries Act in 1989 conceded back only 10% of quota to tribal ownership.

  7. Maori reserved the right to go back to court for the other 90%

  8. The government sought to end Maori fishing claims by offering to buy a 50% share in Sealords for $150 million. This will give Maori ownership of one third of the fisheries. In return, Maori will surrender the right to make any further commercial claims on fisheries under the Treaty of Waitangi.

Readings:
Walker, R - Ka Whawhai Tonu Matou : Struggle Without End
Walker R - The Treaty of Waitangi and the Fishing Industry, in [i]Controlling Interests[/i] edited by J. Deeks and N. Perry.

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