Tens of thousands have gathered in Te Upoko-o-te-ika-a-Māui today, as the nationwide Toitū Te Tiriti hīkoi arrives at parliament. Follow this blog for up-to-date coverage and reaction.
Crowd beginning to disperse
There is still a large crowd out the front of parliament but many have began making their way back to Waitangi Park for a free concert and final karakia to end the hīkoi. On that note, we’re going to wrap-up the livestream now. Ngā mihi and many thanks for joining our live blog coverage of the hīkoi today. Be sure to check out our analysis of the best signs from today’s hīkoi here.
The day in pictures
A historic day, in pictures.
Question time begins in parliament
Politicians have gathered inside the house for question time. Meanwhile, thousands remain gathered outside watching singer Stan Walker perform. There was no sign yet of Te Pāti Māori inside the debating chambers. The speaker Gerry Brownlee confirmed receiving letters from New Zealand First Minister Shane Jones, ACT MP Todd Stephenson, and National MP Suze Redmayne regarding the haka performed in the debating chamber by opposition MPs last week.
Jones has also raised the question of whether parliament’s standing orders (rules) should be reviewed in light of the incident, a matter he addressed separately in the House.
Brownlee stated that the appropriate forum for this discussion is the standing orders committee, which is set to convene soon.
As per parliamentary procedure, the MPs mentioned in the letters will have the opportunity to respond before the Speaker decides whether to refer the issue to the Privileges Committee.
Meanwhile, the prime minister said he was not invited to speak to the hīkoi but his message would have remained the same – that the Treaty Principles Bill would not be passing the second reading. David Seymour was encouraging people to make a submission to the Justice select committee on the Bill, before they close on January 7, 2025.
Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke ends speeches
“I may have been suspended for 24 hours and not let in the gates to the debating chambers, but the next day I showed up outside on the steps with 100,000 of my people,” Maipi-Clarke told the crowd.
Referring to the Treaty Principles Bill, Maipi-Clarke said “this march was never about the Bill, I ripped that in half and chucked it away.”
“The treaty unites us, all ages and all races.”
She also made reference to her great-aunt Hana Te Hemara, who delivered the Māori language petition to parliament some 49 years ago.
“If every single Māori person registered on the Māori roll, we would have 20 automatic Māori seats in the parliament.”
Her speech was followed by a rousing haka about te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Petition presented to parliament
The petition against the Treaty Principles Bill has been presented parliament, including 203,653 signatures. Online, it has now amassed over 220,000 signatures, only 26,000 less signatures than votes received by Act at the last election. The petition was presented by tohunga reo me tikanga Māori Mataia Keepa. Eru Kapa-Kingi then blessed it with another karakia, before it was handed over to Te Pāti Māori MP Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke and then Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi.
Maipi-Clarke now has the microphone.
Speeches drawing to an end
Green Party MP Tamatha Paul has just finished speaking. Labour MP Peeni Henare addressed the crowd near the beginning of the speeches.
“We told them – do not to tutū with our tiriti,” Paul told the crowd.
Musician Atareta Milne, daughter of Māori media personality Chey Milne and businesswoman Kahurangi Milne, followed Paul. She also encouraged those present to enrol to vote and join the Māori roll.
The petition is about to be presented to parliament.
Māori journalists being targeted
Kawea Te Rongo, the independent Māori Journalists Association has put out a statement saying Māori journalists and media outlets are being “unfairly targeted” by political parties around their coverage of the hīkoi. “We are also seeing an alarming increase of targeted online rhetoric of the same nature towards our sector.”
Hīkoi reaches into House of Representatives
The Treaty Principles Bill has already had its first reading and the speaker has declared the public gallery closed, but the mood of the Toitū te Tiriti hīkoi, now gathered on and beyond parliament grounds, will nevertheless make its way into the House of Representatives when business kicks off for the day with question time at 2pm. The themes of the hīkoi inform all of the questions to ministers from the opposition benches.
The Greens’ Tamatha Paul is first up, opening her questioning of the prime minister by asking if he stands by his government’s statement and actions, but doing so in reo: “E tautoko ana ia i ngā kōrero me ngā mahi katoa a tōna Kāwanatanga?” Her caucus colleage Lawrence Xu-Nan will ask the same of the education minister, Erica Stanford, later in the piece. Labour’s Barbara Edmonds will ask Nicola Willis, her counterpart in the finance portfolio: “Does she stand by her statement, ‘We know that to be successful in driving growth we need you and your colleagues in the business community on board’; if so, is the business community on board with the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill?”
Questions from Ginny Andersen and Willow-Jean Prime, both Labour MPs, relate to treaty obligations, while Peeni Henare will grill Tama Potaka on the Māori-Crown relationship. Chris Hipkins is typically top of the question list, but today he’s 12th and last. His question of Christopher Luxon is the boilerplate stand-by-statements number, but it doesn’t take an oracle to guess the subject pursued by the Labour leader, who is currently joining a bit of synchronised clapping outside parliament, will be related to the Treaty Principles Bill.
Te Pāti Māori takes the stage
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi is speaking to the crowd, thanking them for showing up.
“We are the sovereign and Aoteraoa is our kingdom. We must protect it,” Waititi told the crowd.
Waititi says he told David Seymour not to come to the hīkoi: “He doesn’t have the mana to be here.”
However, Seymour did emerge briefly, with RNZ reporting he had at least four uniformed police officers and three diplomatic protection officers with him.
“We are inspiring indigenous people all over the world to rise up,” Waititi told the crowd.
Seymour fronts the hīkoi
David Seymour briefly emerged from the Beehive to face the hīkoi, along with other Act MPs, at least four uniformed police officers and three diplomatic protection officers. The group was loudly booed.
The Act leader and architect of the Treaty Principles Bill spoke with media yesterday, criticising those taking part in the hīkoi, its organisers, Te Pāti Māori, Green MP Julie-Ann Genter, former prime minister Jenny Shipley, and even prime minister Chris Luxon.
Referring to the haka performed by Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke last week, Seymour said “it’s plain for people to see that you’ve got someone getting up making an argument for how we can have a better New Zealand and a group of people who jump try and get in their face and do a war dance…if you have to do a haka to get your point across, maybe you don’t have a good argument”.
On the need for a debate around te Tiriti, Seymour said “it may ultimately turn out that New Zealand is not in a good enough place to have this conversation, but sooner or later, we’ll have to choose, does our treaty divide us into two collectives based on ancestry or give us universal rights?”
Eru Kapa-Kingi encourages crowd to enrol on Māori roll
Toitū Te Tiriti spokesperson Eru Kapa-Kingi has addressed the crowd.
“Pākehā mā, you should not fear Māori liberation, for Māori liberation leads to the liberation of all of Aotearoa,” Kapa-Kingi said.
“The change generation is here.”
Kapa-Kingi, whose mother Mariameno Kapa-Kingi is an MP for Te Pāti Māori, encouraged the crowd to speak with people present, helping people to enrol to vote.
“Get on the Māori roll, right now!”
Kapa-Kingi was ninth on the list for Te Pāti Māori at the previous election.
A delegation representing Palestine was now speaking.
Speeches underway as people continue to arrive
Speeches are underway at parliament. Stan Walker has just finished performing. Before him, Ngātiwai leader Aperahama Edwards spoke to the crowd. Ngāti Toa Rangatira chief executive Helmut Modlik is now speaking. Last night, he told The Hui that he would welcome an invitation from the Kīngitanga to host a discussion around the establishment of a “whare rangatiratanga”, similar to a Māori parliament.
“Unity is the key to unlock the power of tino rangatiratanga..where this is no unity, there can be no rangatiratanga” Modlik told the crowd.
He encouraged people to focus on themselves and how they could empower tino rangatiratanga after they returned home.
How the world is reacting to the hīkoi
Social media is flooded with coverage and reaction to the hīkoi.
Hikoi greeted by Central Wellington bakery & cafe owners like the people of Paris welcoming the Allied forces in 1944
— Ben Thomas (@BenThomasNZ) November 18, 2024
Polls show more New Zealanders support the Treaty Principles Bill than oppose it.
When was the last time a journalist reported the views of a member of the public who supports the Bill?
— David Seymour (@dbseymour) November 18, 2024
Hana Maipi-Clarke really has started something … pic.twitter.com/Ovy3VGxav5
— Dr Rawiri Taonui (@RawiriTaonui) November 18, 2024
Hīkoi heads into Wellington: ‘This is a opportunity to stand up and have a voice’ https://t.co/9IEP5lMaY6
— John Campbell (@JohnJCampbell) November 18, 2024
This bill should never have been introduced, it fails to uphold Māori rights.
The Hīkoi (march) will arrive at New Zealand’s parliament and calls for the bill to be dropped.#ProtectTheProtest pic.twitter.com/HcmwxPzfyl
— Amnesty International (@amnesty) November 18, 2024
This is 10-year-old Mila at the hīkoi in Wellington with her sign “Mana like Hana”. pic.twitter.com/f9adZo1DX7
— Joel MacManus (@JoelMacManus) November 18, 2024
International media are also covering the hīkoi:
The BBC is running a live blog of the hīkoi.
The Guardian is also covering the story, as is Al Jazeera, Reuters, AP, and The Australian.
Bringing our loved ones with us on the hīkoi
Krystal is carrying a photo of her grandfather Mane Neho, who attended the Māori land march in 1975, and many other protests since. He recently passed away.
“He marched his whole life and I’m taking him on the last leg,” Krystal says.
Hīkoi arrives at parliament
The hīkoi has reached parliament, led by an ope taua from Te Upoko-o-te-ika-a-Māui. There were several kuia who followed the ope taua, clutching at photos of past leaders, activists, and loved ones, including Whina Cooper. Karanga, waerea, haka, and chants are ringing out as the group arrives. Kuini Ngawai hono i te po is also part of the lead procession.
Police estimate there were 4000 people present at parliament prior to the arrival of the hīkoi. The crowd stretches from parliament to Te Aro Park.
Kīngitanga calls for non-political group to progress the kaupapa
The recently crowned Māori monarch, Kuīni Ngawai hono i te po has arrived at parliament, flanked by former MP and veteran activist Hone Harawira, Te Pāti Māori MP Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke, and mātanga reo me tikanga Māori Māori Paraone Gloyne. It is only the second major public appearance the kuīni has made since she ascended to the throne earlier this year.
Speaking to Te Ao Māori News, Ngira Simmonds, chief of staff for the Kīngitanga, referred to the last koroneihana celebrations for Kīngi Tūheitia, where he called for a non-political group to be formed to lead the discussion moving forward.
“Take it away from the politicians and put it in the hands of the people – that remains our firm hope moving forward,” Simmonds said.
Tama Potaka, Shane Reti and Louise Upston to meet hīkoi
The National caucus has now chosen which ministers will meet with the hīkoi: health minister Shane Reti, minister for Māori development Tama Potaka and minister for social development Louise Upston.
On Monday night, a spokesperson for Christopher Luxon said “a small delegation of National MPs will be available to meet the hīkoi tomorrow. The prime minister is still considering options to engage.”
Potaka met an early contingent gathered at parliament this morning, and has emphasised that National won’t vote for the Treaty Principles Bill at its second reading.
“We have heard the voice of the hīkoi,” said Potaka in a social media post. “Our tūpuna fought for equal citizenship and equality of opportunity, the Treaty Principles Bill does not help us deliver these outcomes. The National Party will vote down the Treaty Principles Bill at its second reading.
David Seymour has said he is in “two minds” about whether or not to engage with the hīkoi.
Tory Whanau among the marchers
Wellington mayor Tory Whanau is among the thousands marching to parliament. “I’m proudly welcoming all our visitors to Wellington,” she told The Spinoff at Te Aro Park. “This is a true display of unity and everyone coming together. It’s clear a strong majority oppose the bill and I hope the government will listen.”
Chris Hipkins confirms Labour will greet hīkoi leaders
Labour leader Chris Hipkins confirmed he would be meeting the leaders of the hīkoi upon their arrival to parliament, alongside a group of MPs from Labour, the Greens, and Te Pāti Māori. Labour MP Peeni Henare is expected to address the crowd later in the day, as one of several scheduled speakers.
“It’s a moment of unity…we have heard the message,” Hipkins told Te Ao Māori News.
The hīkoi, which had split into two groups, has joined together again outside the Supreme Court on Lambton Quay.
Parliament grounds are full
Thousands of people have gathered at parliament ahead of the main hīkoi. Kiri Waititi, Toitū Te Tiriti organiser and wife of Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, addressed the crowd in anticipation of the arrival of the hīkoi. The group, including Te Pāti Māori MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, is singing waiata as they wait. Meanwhile, fellow party member Tākuta Ferris is marching amongst the crowd, leading chants. The crowd is gathering pace and becoming louder as they approach parliament.
Half way to parliament
Joel MacManus in Wellington reports that the tail end of the hīkoi has left Waitangi Park.
The front of the pack is now on Willis Street approaching Lambton Quay, meaning the crowd is covering around 1.6km – they’re about half way.
Submissions open on Treaty Principles Bill
Submissions have opened on the Treaty Principles Bill, which is now at select committee stage having passed its first reading in parliament last week.
“The committee intends to make further decisions about the submissions process and will communicate these publicly when they are agreed,” said a Justice Committee press release. “For example, the committee intends to consider and resolve criteria for submissions that will not be accepted in terms of offensive language. The committee is conscious that the bill is controversial, and intends to facilitate a measured debate.”
Submissions close on January 7, 2025. and the committee intends to complete hearings by the end of February.
Hīkoi passes Cuba St
Thousands remain at Waitangi Park, despite thousands having already left. The hīkoi has passed the corner of Cuba St, as it travels down Manners St towards parliament. The Wellington CBD has been completely overtaken by the tens of thousands joining together in waiata. Extra police have been deployed in the city centre, as well as additional security around parliament. Earlier in the week, Wellington Girls’ College students were told to stay home and some university exams scheduled for today were shifted to be held online.
Police estimate 15,000+ at Waitangi Park, 2,000+ at parliament
Police say more than 15,000 people joined the hīkoi at Waitangi Park this morning, with more than 2,000 waiting at parliament for the larger contingent to arrive.
Police have reported no major issues. “Traffic management plans are in place through the city to ensure a safe arrival and limit traffic disruption through the Golden Mile.”
Bill has passed its first reading
Last week, the Treaty Principles Bill had its first reading in parliament. The hīkoi was originally planned to coincide with the first reading but it was brought forward. During the vote on whether the bill should proceed to the select committee stage, Te Pāti Māori MP Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke began a now viral haka, in protest of the bill.
According to Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, NZ First MP Shane Jones has lodged a complaint against her and fellow co-leader Rawiri Waititi over the haka, despite not being present in the house for it. Jones is allegedly requesting the matter be sent to the Parliamentary Privileges Committee for review, particularly around seats in the public gallery being reserved by Te Pāti Māori for people who joined in with the haka, such as hīkoi organiser Hōhepa ‘Hori’ Thompson.
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The hīkoi is on the move
The hīkoi is now making its way from Waitangi Park towards parliament.
There are a sea of flags in the crowd and just enough breeze to make them fly gloriously. Mostly tino rangatiratanga flags, some United Tribes, some for Te Pāti Māori, individual iwi and some other Pacific nations.
Before the crowd started moving, a speaker on stage gave a shoutout to Pākehā and tauiwi: “We’ve got some Pākehā for the Treaty over there. We love you fullas. If it wasn’t for youse we wouldn’t have fish and chips, he said. “Mihi to our Chinese whānau for running all the shops so we can buy all these flags.”
“We are here today to celebrate the mana of this country that we live in. Because our mana is their mana, they just don’t know it yet.”
The final song before the crowd started moving was ‘Aotearoa’. The crowd was really into it. Lots of heads bobbing, and a kid behind me was jumping around.
“Today we take seven generations from the past and we do this for seven generations into the future.”
Petition surpasses 200,000 signatures
Over 206,198 people have signed a petition opposing the Treaty Principles Bill. The petition, created by Maringi Jones, will be presented to parliament this afternoon. The petition website says “for Māori, this bill represents a direct assault on our rights, our culture, and our identity”.
Movement gains international support
Over the last week, activations have taken place around the world, including in the United States, England, Australia, Hawai’i, and more. Around the world, celebrities such as Jason Momoa and Erykah Badu have shown their support for the kaupapa.
In London, a crowd gathered outside New Zealand House, and in New York a number of New Zealanders marched to Times Square waving tino rangatiratanga flags.
I might live in London now but I don’t let that stop me supporting te tiriti 🖤❤️🤍 pic.twitter.com/rDGM5fYvTA
— VitaMolyneux (@VitaMolyneux) November 18, 2024
Thousands arrive at Waitangi Park and parliament
A large group is gathering at Waitangi Park in central Wellington, ahead of the march to parliament. There are also large groups of people already at parliament. The crowd at Waitangi Park is spilling into nearby streets and car parks.
There have been several live performances at Waitangi Park this morning, including from prominent musicians such as Che Fu and Stan Walker.
A large ope taua from Te-Whanganui-a-Tara and beyond is currently travelling down Oriental Parade, with the main members of the hīkoi behind them, singing waiata and chanting. They are heading towards Waitangi Park.
Tama Potaka and Shane Jones reaffirm their party positions
Speaking to Te Ao Māori News this morning, Tama Potaka, the minister for Māori development and Māori-Crown relations: Te Arawhiti, reiterated that National was against the Treaty Principles Bill and would be voting against it at the second reading. Potaka was also seen moving amongst the crowd at parliament, speaking with those in attendance.
Earlier in the day, Shane Jones spoke to Dale Husband on Waatea News, labelling the hīkoi a vote gathering exercise by Te Pāti Māori and the Green Party. However, he also acknowledged that despite the bill being highly unlikely to pass, many Māori still had fears about what the future held. Jones expected those organising the hīkoi would continue their efforts beyond today, particularly at Waitangi and during the select committee process for the bill.
Latest hīkoi just one of several recent activations
There have been several nationwide protests and demonstrations, or “activations”, as the group calls them, since the coalition government took office in late November 2023. The first nationwide day of protest took place in December last year, followed by another nationwide protest on May 30, including a march to parliament, to coincide with the release of the coalition government’s first budget.
Hīkoi is about more than the Treaty Principles Bill
While the Treaty Principles Bill – which was introduced to parliament last week – may have been the catalyst for the hīkoi, Toitū Te Tiriti spokesperson Eru Kapa-Kingi told The Spinoff it was about more than the bill: “This is about tino rangatiratanga – claiming our place as tangata whenua and ensuring our mokopuna inherit that mana. Our tūpuna never gave up their mana, and now it’s our turn to stand in it.”
What to expect
Today’s activities began at around 6am with a convoy from Takapūwāhia Marae in Porirua to Waitangi Park in central Wellington. Most media outlets are estimating between 15,000 to 30,000 people will join the march to parliament, while some have predicted a turn out of up to 50,000 people is possible.
The group, featuring Kuini Ngawai hono i te po, is expected to arrive at parliament by midday. They will likely be met by members of Te Pāti Māori, Labour, and the Green Party. Speeches are expected to take place, plus the presentation of a petition against the Treaty Principles Bill, which had amassed 198,868 signatures at the time of writing. At 4pm, a concert will take place at Waitangi Park, followed by a karakia and farewell.
The Spinoff understands Act Party leader David Seymour has requested to speak to representatives from the Toitū Te Tiriti hīkoi. It is unclear if this was a formal request and if any response was provided to him. Yesterday, Ngawera-Packer told media Seymour “had his time to speak on Thursday”, referring to the first reading of the bill. This sentiment was shared by hīkoi organiser Nyree Manuel on The Hui last night, who told Julian Wilcox “we already know what he has to say, he doesn’t have anything to say that we haven’t already heard”.
From Te Rerenga Wairua to parliament: Historic hīkoi mō te tiriti nears its climax
Eight days ago, a group set off on the Toitū Te Tiriti hīkoi from Te Rerenga Wairua to parliament, just 31km away from where Whina Cooper (Te Rārawa) led the famed land march 49 years earlier. A dawn karakia marked the beginning of the hīkoi, which would go on to cover more than 1800km across Te-Ika-a-Māui.
Meanwhile, a separate group was gathering at Motu-pōhure in Te Wai Pounamu. That group joined together with the North Island rōpu last night in Porirua in anticipation of today’s march to parliament.