Kingi Tuheitia – Tangi observations and notes on succession planning

Ka arohanui te whanau pani Kingi Tuheitia Paki Potatau Te Wherowhero VII. The Paki is there out of respect.

I’m watching the coverage from the Kingitanga Youtube channel live on the fifth day at Turangawaewae which I suspect might be Maori TV – not sure but it’s all professional broadcast: audio, switching, drone shots etc. They even have a camera facing out from the from centre post so you can experience a 200 person haka from the King’s perspective. No narration or continuity announcements necessary, just speeches, waiata, haka. English subtitles aren’t exactly necessary either to get the drift of what’s going on in the tangihanga. Not saying it wouldn’t help, but not necessary. There are no subtitles for anything either – refreshing to have less information – but we have to guess, or imagine, who is who and what is what.

The front row of Tuhoe are giving their tributes. They are the main contingent of the very large ope who just entered along with the Kohanga Reo movement and a few others. The drone shot shows a big crowd still out on the street, a thousand all up, maybe more. We see the front bench line up as they one by one, in order of status I would say, give their whai korero followed by waiata from groups coming in from the side to enter the courtyard atea to deliver it to the late King, lying open in a coffin draped in a Kiwi feather cloak on the porch of the wharenui. The corresponding side, Waikato-Tainui, rise and give their response each followed by their waiata. The Tuhoe waiata are familiar to me, they are Mataatua. It’s starting to rain.

There’s a young guy taking things very seriously, a black three-piece suit and brandishing a patu, screaming furiously like a WW2 Japanese Sergeant-Major. Is he telling him off for dying? Is he declaring Manchukou a protectorate for the Emperor? At this point the waiata might be Bansai x3. Waipareira Trust are in the group, he might be from Hoana Waititi marae – not sure. I don’t understand the strained shouting. He is out of breath, he’s tiring himself out with the ranting. I’ve muted it – I can’t listen to that amount of personal tension. Maybe he was overwhelmed – it happens. I remember the Koroneihana of Tuheitia (which followed immediately on from the tangi of his mother the late Queen Atairangikahu) when the youngest guy speaking became overwhelmed with emotion and had to be physically stopped. His korero was begging Tuheitia not to sell out and began advancing as if he was going to stop him selling out, he had tears in his eyes at that point and was gently but firmly tackled and taken off. That was quite a dramatic moment. It’s not something you’d ever see at the British monarch’s coronation – in that respect the Kingitanga’s tikanga is Maori and real, not choreographed and endlessly rehearsed as in Europe. So too this tangi – no-one knows days in advance who speaks or what will be said.

The Kingitanga is both new enough to be a reaction to New Zealand parliamentary government and old enough that when we look at Tuheitia’s six predecessors’ portraits above his we see the first one is a painting – not a photograph. The dynasty is oil painting old. Matthew Tukaki described Luxon’s apparently deeply affected reaction when he attended on the weekend as a realisation that the government and his party’s relationship with the Kingitanga goes back far further than the transitory relationship with Act and NZ First. Tukaki contended in that moment his coalition partners’ shit-stirring was seen for what it was, and Luxon – despite the David Brent-like comprehension – understood for the first time where the centre of gravity was in Aotearoa. That was a generous interpretation for someone so clueless as Luxon.

The Sikh’s are on. All old men, all turbans. The main guy (maybe the one with the best English) says they have translated their religious text into Te Reo. There is a ripple of approving surprise from the Tangata Whenua. From me an eye roll: we’ve got plenty of religions already, mate, your bullshit PR for the turban industry is filed with the Mormon stuff regardless of language. The mouthpiece for Big Turban then began his waiata – joined, eventually, by the other dozen men, each more out of tune than the last. Then he ends abruptly. So it was just a mini version he was intending; but by this time they were all singing, different notes, different keys, but all together and they wouldn’t stop. He stopped and they kept going. He tried to signal for them to cease, but they wouldn’t, it was too late, they were committed to the whole bit. So, he joined in, but quietly, and moved backwards and moved them all back and they all kept singing as they exited in a scrum, very funny, like Peter Sellers was involved.

People walking backwards in respect as they reverse from someone’s presence is another aspect of formalities we don’t usually see – but here it is on display at the tangi. That sort of class is not given to just every truck driver.

The following day the Government party was on in the afternoon. I watched that too. Shane Jones, the military, the judiciary, even David Seymour managed a brief (and very nervously delivered) speech. He speaks so confidently in every other forum, even stridently, when it comes to what he thinks Maori should be, but not now, he’s cautious and hesitant, stalking through his speech like it’s a minefield. This is all much bigger than you, boy. The diplomatic corps was there to honour the King. Te Ururoa Flavell was there and his political nemesis Hone Harawira not far behind. The observer would have picked up all the front rows either side are men and all the speakers are male. That is the tikanga here – as it is everywhere(?) It is respectful, however there are jokes, there are light moments and – contrary to the faux “chiding” for going there – there is also politics. I haven’t been to a tangi yet where there hasn’t been politics in one way or another, it is not off limits by any means.

The late King did a fine job as the head of the Kingitanga from what I know (which isn’t that much) and over the last year especially showed leadership in encouraging a four points hui-a-motu. That was the right thing to do, it was needed, to solidify in the face of an outburst of reactionary white settler threats. Timely and wise. I cannot recall a time before that the Kingitanga had participated in let alone initiated something more overtly political such as that. It was heartening.

His stature had grown already, in my assessment, because of two factors. His age and frailty made him look the part of elder statesman (he and Charles seemed natural enough together, maybe with same tailor). And his high profile appearances in roles outside Aotearoa in which the Governor-General would otherwise be expected (for example his seating with the PM at Charles’s coronation last year). He would go off-script occasionally, providing the public with insight as to his personal opinions. I appreciated also his skepticism regarding a Maori parliament (but he’s a King so what was he going to say about a parliament!?).

Unity, but how? Tragically most Iwi are not Hapu they are corporates bound by the settlement deals and their leadership is compromised.

But not every Maori liked or respected the Maori King or for that matter the Kingitanga. I was reminded of this on Sunday morning when a rando from Waimana called around in the drunken entourage of my wayward cousin. The media won’t want to delve into any of this at a time of mourning but his mana was not universally recognised. “He’s not my King!” he said when I mentioned Tuheitia’s death. Maybe it’s a Tuhoe thing – not just fiercely independent, but cannibalistically independent. Another nay-sayer I met a few years ago was a Waikato guy who seemed aggrieved that a truck driver could be King, but reading between the lines he seemed more pissed off that had the succession gone a different way a few monarchs ago he would be in the running for the top job. This guy was quite disparaging in ways that are not fit to mention here and now, like it was personal. I wasn’t all that happy about him either – from a Whakatohea perspective anyway.

The King was last in my neighbourhood to witness the surrender of Te Whakatohea kupapa to the NZ Government in Opotiki by signing the toxic settlement document last year. The King had about 16 million reasons to be there – that’s roughly the amount over the exceeded $1 billion fiscal envelope in the Tainui settlement deal that would ratchet to Waikato-Tainui on the sign-off.  The $100 million quantum means $16 million straight to them. The deal does not have anywhere near full agreement of the Iwi or even the Hapu that do support it. But they signed – and he witnessed it – he put his signature on that shitty nonsense. His $16m seal of approval. It is not a deal that Te Wherowhero II would have done when his policeman (Tio Te Kahika, unarmed at the time) was shot and killed and dumped into Opotiki harbour by the NZ Government forces in 1865 at the start of their invasion and confiscation. Is that your blood money? But there you go – times have changed, so too the interests of the leadership – the “elite”. The Kingitanga were strong-armed after Parihaka in 1881 and joined the Liberal ministry in the 1890s, so their migration towards the Pakeha “Establishment” is over a century in the making. They’ve been selling out for longer than they’ve been tuturu to the kaupapa – the young guy who lost it knew it too. Yes, it’s upsetting.

As to the succession – which should happen after the nehu today if I recall how they do things – this will be fascinating. Tuheitia’s daughter has been filling in for some occasions according to some news reports. The coverage shows two of his three children in attendance – the chubby one who sets off the gaydar (news reports say a “falling out” has occured implying he’s out of contention), and the skinny one who looks like Sammy Davis Jr playing a pimp (Korotangi – as explained in the blogs below). I haven’t seen the daughter there, but she may well be. These kids would barely be 30.

The King’s privy council and the Iwi rangatira who follow the Kingitanga make the decision, so nothing is absolutely certain in the succession. There would have to be a major problem with all three kids if they were to deviate. Nanaia Mahuta – for example – has both the lineage and the mana (she was Foreign Minister for three years) to be Queen if that was deemed the right place for it to land. Given the ages of the kids I would not be surprised if the daughter was chosen then Nanaia would be made Regent for a period. It’s speculation on my part, but the institution is flexible enough to do whatever is most pragmatic. I wish whoever it is well for their spell on the throne and hope they demonstrate a regal temperament as Tuheitia did. The introduction to the nation will take about ten years – that’s how long it took for most people to adjust to who the new one is. Out of interest I checked how much the King got paid: exactly $10k more than the Governor-General, just to make it a higher pay grade than them – kudos.

Here are the three blogs I wrote at the time on Tumeke! in 2014 about the King’s son and the Kingitanga succession. It’s all still relevant, unfortunately. I am guessing that Stephen Franks, or someone he plays golf with, was the racist nark responsible for Crown Law reviewing the case rather than unsympathetic police prosecutor F. Gul Qaisrani. These are the types of japes that Prince Harry might have dallied in. My point is there would be no way the Crown in that case would ever appeal against Mr Windsor having been let off in the District Court. Mr Paki however, different story. It was an unfriendly act.

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Koretake Paki

What reason is there for the Crown Law to be appealing a discharge without conviction for a drink driving offence and a theft from a car?

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NZ Herald:

Korotangi Paki, 19, was let off charges of burglary, theft and drink driving by Judge Philippa Cunningham after his defence counsel successfully argued a conviction would ruin his chances of succeeding to the throne.

He had earlier pleaded guilty to all the charges, which related to two separate incidents dating from March this year and October 2013.

In a statement, media advisor for Crown Law Jan Fulstow said an appeal had been made.

“Crown Law does a very careful and thorough review of cases such as this before a decision is made.

“Having now completed a review of this case Crown Law has today filed an application in the High Court to appeal the matter.

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But what has this to do with Crown Law?  Who told them to commence a review?  If the only reason for the review was because Mr Paki is the son of Kingi Tuheitia then there is a problem here.  Maybe it was the police prosecutor who made the request?
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However, police prosecutor F. Gul Qaisrani, opposed a discharge without conviction, saying it would send the wrong message to society.

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How often do Crown Law step in to appeal what are quite minor offences such as these?  How many times a year would this happen – is this routine?  Was the police prosecutor unable to appeal on their own for some reason?  I pose these questions because to an outside observer it would appear the NZ Government was trying to disinherit/disqualify a successor to an authority that rivals its own.  Why else would the Crown be doing this?   What pressure has gone on here?

Which look is worse: letting a 19 year old off a conviction because it would disqualify them from holding a responsible office to which they were expected to succeed; or having the talkback/talkhate radio of braying, ranting, racist red necks determine prosecution strategy and the merits of appeal?  The District Court decision doesn’t appear unreasonable or unjust – it’s a line call.

If Crown Law are appealing just because he is the King’s son then they are making an error of disproportionate and special treatment – the same thing they say the District Court judge has done.

Saturday, August 30, 2014

Koretake II

The Crown is to appeal against the son of Kingi Tuheitia not being convicted – in a case where the other offenders were all let off without convictions without any name suppression – and the Crown is not to appeal against the rugby boys whose names are permanently suppressed being let off without convictions – in a case where the offenders killed someone.

This is justice New Zealand style:
a minor theft and driving charge against the son of the Maori King is appealed by the government on the grounds he should have been convicted; but a stitch-up deal to save face by the Auckland school/rugby old boys that lets a killer go loose without even a conviction is not possible to appeal according to the government law officers.

The Crown regards it as an unconscionable renege to appeal the plea bargain they worked out (without the agreement of the parents of the deceased).  With this logic: that it would undermine the credibility of the Crown to make deals if they challenged the outcome of their own deal, the Crown Solicitor thinks they have no grounds to appeal.  You make the deal, you can’t appeal.  It is the Crown deal itself that needs to be appealed by someone independent outside of the Crown – most likely a lawyer acting for the bereaved parents.

How can there be any confidence or trust in the Crown prosecutors – and the NZ Police – when they conspire to defeat the course of justice as they do?  The ‘Roastbusters’ rape gang is still at large without a single prosecution after eight months.  Mr Sentry Taitoko died in a South Auckland police cell on 23 February and six months later no autopsy report, no nothing – killed without consequence. No-one at the top speaks out or does anything.  A suspected killing has taken place in a police station and it is being covered up by the suspected killers – the police staff – and nothing happens, as if it didn’t happen at all, as if it couldn’t happen.  The NZ Police are getting away – most likely quite literally – with murder.

The law and security agencies of the New Zealand government may have an unthinking, reflexive support from many people who will automatically align with the establishment position, but those agencies have very little claim to credibility when they can mask their poor performance with the connivance of officials, politicians and the media.  The respect held for these institutions of the Crown are the result of decades of public inertia and misplaced trust.  The shallow foundations of this loyalty are exposed by these recent events which reveal the compromised, conflicted and self-serving character of law enforcement in New Zealand.

There is no political accountability demonstrated or responsibility taken.  The Minister of Police is Anne Tolley, the Minister of Justice is Judith Collins – don’t vote for these people.  Tolley has exercised no control over the NZ Police, allowing unlawful abuse, bashings and shootings to continue.  And as for Collins – who the PM has provided political immunity to despite the damaging Oravida scandal and tolerating her peculiar mode of malevolent behaviour – is so nutty she once told the NZ Herald that Ernst Rommel was the person she most admired.

The New Zealand justice system under the current administration is borderline demonic.

Saturday, December 06, 2014

Korotake III

Would the Crown solicitor have appealed a discharge without conviction if the prince had been Harry Windsor instead of Korotangi Paki?  Would anyone – prince or pauper – in that circumstance have had the Crown appeal such a minor incident of lower court discretion?  Of course not.  The appeal was a reactionary measure of populist racism designed for media consumption, but the political implications are that the NZ government is opposed to and is set on undermining the Maori King movement.

NZ Herald:

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Korotangi Paki, son of he Maori King Tuheitia. Photo / Brett Phibbs

The son of the Maori King now has a conviction against his name after the Crown was successful in its High Court appeal.

Korotangi Te Hokinga Mai Douglas Paki, 19, was originally discharged without conviction on charges of burglary, theft and drink driving at Auckland District Court, but Justice Mark Woolford overturned that ruling in a ruling released this afternoon.

The discharge on the dishonesty offending remained but Paki was convicted for drink driving.

However, he will face no further penalty other than the eight-month driving disqualification previously imposed.

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The NZ government demonstration in this case is not that ‘no-one is above the law and everyone is equal before the law’ – because that is patently false if we ask ourselves what would have happened if it was John Key’s son, or Prince Harry – the demonstration is that no Maori is above the law.  White people in a position of privilege however can still do whatever they please with little consequence.