Silence = Complicit
Was your organisations Tiriti o Waitangi Policy or Statement visibly enabled during the activation? or was it oppressed?
The recent Toitū Te Tiriti Hīkoi exceeded every expectation and seeing the intergenerational response to the erosion of Kaupapa Māori in politics was a twice in a lifetime experience (Seabed and Foreshore)
But there was one glaringly obvious omission, corporate Aotearoa that have Te Ao Māori values, organisational culture, branding, sponsorships celebrating diversity (including marches and parades) and Tiriti o Waitangi statements or policies. I have a few questions for the many CEO's, CPO's and board chairs;
⚫ Where were you?
⚪ During the hīkoi how did you embody your policy and statement?
🔴 What lessons have you learnt and how will you embody your commitment moving forward?
⚫ How did you create a culturally safe environment for both kaimahi and kiritaki?
As the Māori economy and population grows faster than any demographic in Aotearoa. The time of the silent observer is over and the time to deliver on your social licence to operate is now.
To those that were silent, here are your actions;
1️⃣ Admit your silence to your kaimahi and kiritaki with a commitment to being courageous in the future - honesty is the best policy
2️⃣ Apologise to your Māori team as they would have had to face into many difficult conversations both internally and externally
3️⃣ Invest in your rautaki Māori and its delivery
4️⃣ Appoint Māori to your executive and board (If you can't find anyone then you aren't looking properly)
5️⃣ Review the hurdles Māori face in accessing your services then prioritise the delivery of the recommendations
6️⃣ Redesign your products and policies to meet the needs of Māori, only then will they be truly inclusive to all of Aotearoa
7️⃣ Reiterate your commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Te Ao Māori at every opportunity and ensure your actions demonstrate that it is a priority
8️⃣ Question if your rautaki Māori is transformational or brown washing and if it is the latter, then undertake an enterprise and stakeholder review to fill in the gaps and blind spots (this needs to be Māori led)
9️⃣ Make a submission to the select committee (branded)
To our kaimahi Māori within the system and tāngata Tiriti, kia manawanui. From experience, it can feel isolating. Just know you are never alone, and honesty is a sign of strength. If it is not safe for you to share your whakaaro, then share this post.
To those organisations wanting to create a meaningful long-term relationship with Māori, it's not too late.
Hei kapi, in closing. Here is the sign painted and carried on the Hīkoi by my three boys aged 7,11 and 12. They did it all themselves without guidance and it depicts how their generation feel about colonial hands continuing to oppress Tino Rangatiratanga. Its now taken a pride of place in our whare as a reminder to us older generations about why we do what we do.
Toitū Te Tiriti
