Imagining Honourable Kāwanatanga: Reflections (and a Report) on a Wānanga

On October 28, 2025, amidst some truly challenging Wellington weather, 63 passionate individuals gathered at Te Herenga Waka marae. Scholars, trade unionists, community leaders, activists, and students all came with one vital purpose: to kōrero about how we can achieve honourable kāwanatanga in Aotearoa. This was a deeply relational day, a part of our wider Honourable Kāwanatanga project, where we sought to understand what a Tiriti-based future could truly look like.

The date was chosen with intention, marking the 190th anniversary of the signing of He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tīreni (the 1835 Declaration of Independence). This historical context set the stage for a day of robust discussion, built on foundational premises: that settler colonialism is an ongoing structure, not a finite past event; that decolonisation is a global imperative; and that decolonisation compromises the integrity of everyone by institutionalising injustice. We entered this space with these understandings, ready to tackle the "visceral realities of living within a colonised framework." We planned the day around caucused sessions, a long-standing technique in antiracism and Te Tiriti work, to allow for frank and unencumbered discussions within Tangata Whenua and Tangata Tiriti groups. The day flowed from a pōwhiri and whakawhanaungatanga into morning caucuses on 'Values, Roles and Relationships,' a combined session to share back, afternoon caucuses on 'Structures, Prerequisites and Possibilities,' and a final combined kōrero. This structure allowed for deep reflection within each group and rich cross-fertilisation of ideas.

We were fortunate to have "Elder provocations" presented throughout the day – a series of statements, questions, and ideas drawn from previous interviews with 20 activist and scholarly Māori and Tangata Tiriti Elders. These wisdom-filled provocations were designed to poke, prod, and promote deep thinking, particularly within the Tangata Tiriti caucus. Watch this space as we make them into educational resources to extend the conversation.

Tangata Whenua Caucus: Reclaiming Rangatiratanga from Within

The Tangata Whenua Caucus discussion was powerful and challenging. They grappled with whether they were truly sharing power or if their participation simply enabled the status quo on an uneven field. A recurrent theme was the fractured nature of Māori relationships, with broken connections between iwi authorities and hapū, often set up for government convenience.

Yet, from this critique emerged a profound call for transformation. The caucus emphasised that tino rangatiratanga starts within. It's about remembering and backing one’s own mana, about "consciously biasing oneself toward one’s own culture and way of being." They spoke of regaining tino rangatiratanga by stepping outside of the colonial box and building power intergenerationally, starting with one’s own whānau and kainga. The work done locally in communities has the potential to influence strategies at other layers, but the ultimate responsibility rests on each individual. In essence, "we have our own whakapapa, history, values, principles, practices... what is ours is ours."

Tangata Tiriti Caucus: Seeking Connection and Radical Relationality

The Tangata Tiriti Caucus discussion was marked by a strong desire for connection and a critiques of the current systems of power and control – individualism, market-driven models, and capitalism – that fragment relationships. We debated who and where the Crown is, recognising Pākehā responsibilities due to our cultural background and the historical relationship to the Crown. As one participant noted Mitzi Nairn’s refrain, "we need to be the Pākehā the rangatira thought they were negotiating with."

A key theme was the move away from western human rights frameworks, which emphasise individualism, and towards collective responsibilities and obligations to others and to relationships. We spoke of a "radical relationality" and a desire for "radical love" to actively disrupt dynamics of separation. Ecological metaphors were used to highlight diversity, interdependence, and reciprocity, recognising that although Tauiwi are not the same, we need to work together for a healthy community. Immigration and diversity were seen as potentially great allies, if inclusive, open, and honourable.

We also discussed the need for Tangata Tiriti to understand our own cultures and knowledge systems and move beyond these, including addressing "Pākehā paralysis" and "privilege paralysis."

A Combined Call to Action

The collective sessions were rich with shared learning. Both caucuses highlighted that change begins personal and within each individual. Both spoke of getting their "own houses in order." There was a call for Tangata Tiriti to listen deeply, discuss different views, and accept that their wellbeing is dependent on Māori and each other. The values of Matike Mai – Tikanga, community, belonging, place, balance, conciliation, and structure – were raised as a platform for an ongoing constitutional conversation, which should be discussed more often.

In the final, profound moments of the wānanga, a call was made for everyone to take responsibility for the transformation towards honourable kāwanatanga. As one co-facilitator put it, this transformation is "not something without. It is something within each of us... if we cannot take responsibility and accept responsibility for that, then the status quo will remain."

This honourable kāwanatanga wānanga report - available here - is not a conclusion but another step in the process. It is a journey we are all on. Let us all understand and carry our responsibilities for the change that we can make ourselves within our sphere of influence. Change is not easy, but let us keep focused, be notice progress, and continue working toward our shared goals. The day concluded with a karakia, a fitting closing to a day dedicated to imagining a better, more just Aotearoa.