Hone Harawira and Following Kaupapa Maori Cultural Processes

Hone Harawira has been suspended from the Maori Party and as reported in the media, he still seems to be scrambling to survive despite the clear intentions of other members, including the co-leaders Dr Pita Sharples and Tariana Turia, that unless he toes the party line, he might as well leave. Despite all the shenanigans there is one particular aspect to Harawira's argument that rings empty in my Maori ear that needs analysis.

Harawira cites the Maori Party's accommodating relationship with National as being problematic, that they have compromised their manifesto and cheated Maori people at large with a number of national policies. Harawira bemoans the very sad state that his party has succumbed to and believes that Kaupapa Maori processes are being negated in relation to how his suspension and surrounding incidents have been handled. Taken from a public statement Harawira made following his suspension from the Maori Caucus on Tuesday 8th February 2011, he states;

'The process of Kaupapa Maori has been ignored, the constitutional process has been ignored, communication has clearly broken down right across the party, and I think that what most Maori Party members would want is for this whole mess to be set aside, cancel the lawyer, save the money, drop the disciplinary procedures, set the suspension aside, disappear onto a marae somewhere with a clear directive - and don't come out till its all been sorted out properly.
It's what my kaumatua and kuia have been saying since day one; it's what the constitution says; I'd be happy to do it...'

He said again: 'The process of Kaupapa Maori has been ignored.' I find it totally contradictory of Harawira to NOW be claiming to be a true follower of Kaupapa Maori processes. In November 2009 in an email response to criticism of the way he skipped off to Paris while on a parliamentary visit to Brussels, Harawira told former Waitangi Tribunal director Buddy Mikaere: "White motherf...kers have been raping our lands and ripping us off for centuries and all of a sudden you want me to play along with their puritanical bullshit?"

In July 2010 Harawira was also widely criticised for comments made in an interview with the Weekend Herald, where he said he wouldn't feel comfortable with his children dating Pakeha. I guess that includes me too! Though I have brown skin and a long-winded Maori handle thanks to one of my tupuna, another of my tipuna comes from England, is white and a Pakeha living in Aotearoa!


Since Harawira is 'clearly' an ardent follower of Kaupapa Maori processes, which processes do these appalling actions follow? Does he carry out such statements and actions in the name of Kaupapa Maori? I'm struggling to figure out which process it might be...whakawhanaungatanga???...surely not!? Kaupapa Maori is said to engage with all forms of oppression and those structures that maintain and perpetuate those oppressions. Does a leader who uses public monies to fund a side trip to Paris not count as someone abusing and maintaining opppresion against those he serves by using their money for personal reasons?
Kaupapa Maori to me is a way of life, not a 'turn it on', 'turn it off' self-absorbed convenience that Maori in power can play 'God' over the rest of us Maori people. We need leaders with integrity, who speak and live the truth they espouse i nga waa katoa!! Leaders who contradict themselves, who use the same tools of political clout and political right used by the colonial powers of the past to get their way in the world, need nothing more than a reality check through the Kaupapa Maori window.