NZ Herald questions Harawira over need for Kaupapa Maori protocols to be followed

I have just read an article by the NZ Herald's chief political editor (John Armstrong) dated 12th of February 2011. The title of his article reads, 'No special protocol for Harawira's demise' which highlights in a minute part the issue I've raised here in my first blog post. While I support this aspect of his article in principle and believe that he has used Harawira’s case as a headline grabber rather than any real critical insight into the issue of kaupapa Maori process and politics, the only real issue I have with Armstrong’s article is in his first paragraph. It states,

'Ignore the flowery twaddle being talked up in Maoridom about how the prosecution of Hone Harawira ought to have proceeded according to the principles of kaupapa Maori from the very start.'

While I'm not sure of Armstrong's exact meaning in his use of the phrase, 'being talked up in Maoridom' it gives the impression to me, as a Maori, that a large or even significant amount of people in te Ao Maori (the Maori world) are in support of Harawira's claim to cultural protocol processes needing to be followed during the latest wranglings in the Maori party. I may be wrong, but his article also gives me the impression that only those who are not a part of Maoridom can see through Harawira's twaddling nonsense (perhaps as a Maori I was not his target audience and he needed to pitch it right (pun intended with the term ‘right’). If this is what he intends I am saddened by his argument. If he was to articulate that there are some Maori (rather than capitulating the position as nestled ‘in Maoridom’) who are calling for cultural processes to now be followed in Harawira's suspension case, I would be more satisfied.

But my critical head tells me that his argument unfortunately resigns itself (again!!) to lumping us Maoris (excuse the bad English) into one homogenous thought-pot.  Armstrong should know better to realise that not all of Maoridom hold the same position on the issue being raised, we do not all believe the same things, nor are we all aligned politically, economically or for that matter culturally.

Following the article are two public comments/responses, one by a supporter of Harawira and one from a non-supporter.  I will attach the response posted by the latter as it articulates a view reminiscent of my own.

We have heard several times Hone calling for Kaupapa Maori/Tikanga Maori process and dump the Pakeha Process. The non-Maori and for that matter many Maori themselves do not know what that process is. I would actually love for Hone to explain it. Most importantly I would like Hone to explain if he has followed Maori Kaupapa and Tikanga when he spoke and wrote about his friends and leaders -in Maori terms his whanau- Most importantly he did that in the Pakeha median (news papers, radio and TV) along with social media. He even called them d********. Man up and explain Hone. I am sure you are man enough and have some mana left in you. (Public post by Phantom Jr – New Zealand Herald (Online) February 12^th 2011.