Optimism and Understanding: the Treaty Talk We Need Now

Free

Leading Te Tiriti o Waitangi scholar Carwyn Jones is speaking in Napier on October 1 about the treaty as “a mechanism for working through our differences”.

Dr Jones (Ngāti Kahungunu), who was born and raised in Napier, has just published Matangi Rau: The enduring potential of te Tiriti o Waitangi.

“Te Tiriti isn't a relic sitting in the past. It's a living framework - a mechanism for working through our differences,” he said.

“I kept noticing the same thing everywhere: whether it’s at Waitangi Tribunal hearings, in classrooms, or around the dinner table, people are talking about Te Tiriti. However, there is a bit of a gap in accurate, credible information.”

Matangi Rau - a collection of articles, published in newspapers, online and in legal journals over the last 20 years - aims to help fill that gap.

In the book, Dr Jones argues that a system of true co-governance would improve all aspects of life in New Zealand – including justice, politics, education and the environment.

His sometimes provocative views are informed by a profound knowledge of Western law and mātauranga Māori (indigenous knowledge), and his outlook for constitutional change remains “refreshingly optimistic”.

His talk in Napier on Thursday October 1 is at St Paul’s Presbyterian Church at 89 Tennyson St. Doors open at 6.30pm and talk begins at 7pm. Entry is free, a koha is welcome.

The event is being organised by Tangata Tiriti Aotearoa and the Napier Pilot City Trust with support from Napier City Council.

“We've had the Treaty Principles Bill. We've watched Te Tiriti and Māori initiatives come under attack in recent years,” Dr Jones said. “And in amongst that noise, I’ve seen something heartening too: so many New Zealanders, not just Māori, want to show support, and need the tools to understand Te Tiriti.”

The title Matangi Rau literally translates to "many winds," capturing the idea of various perspectives, discussions, and the enduring power of the promises made by the tūpuna (ancestors).

Dr Jones is a kaihautū (director) of Te Whare Whakatupu Mātauranga and the lead academic in the Ahunga Tikanga (Māori Laws and Philosophy) programme at Te Wānanga o Raukawa. He is an Honorary Adjunct Professor at Te Kawa a Māui, the School of Māori Studies at Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington and a Fellow of the Te Apārangi – the Royal Society of New Zealand. His research focuses on Te Tiriti o Waitangi and indigenous law.

Matangi Rau can be ordered from https://tetakupu.wananga.com/products/matangi-rau

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