Dear Friends,
Today is an important day in the history of Aotearoa New Zealand.
As I write, tens of thousands of New Zealanders, Pākehā and Māori, are gathering in Wellington for the final stage of a nationwide hikoi to the steps of Parliament.
Among those gathering are our Archbishops resident in Aotearoa New Zealand and representatives of Archbishop Sione from the Diocese of Polynesia.
The Archbishops have written to us as follows:
The Archbishops and Primates of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia
18 November 2024
E Ihowa Atua, o ngā iwi mātou rā.
Āta whakarongona
Me aroha noa.
Kia hua ko te pai
Kia tau tō atawhai
Manaakitia mai
Aotearoa
Ngā rārangi maunga, tu te ao, tu te pō. Ngā rārangi tangata, ngaro noa, ngaro noa.
Toitū te kupu o te Atua, me ōnā manaakitanga. Toitū te Tiriti o Waitangi ki te whenua, ki ngā iwi
o katoa o Aotearoa.
The Treaty Principles Bill calls us to embody our Christian values in action. Archbishop Don
and Archbishop Justin will join thousands at Te Hīkoi mō Te Tiriti in Wellington to protest the bill
and reaffirm our commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Powerful images of the national hīkoi emphasise the kotahitanga between Māori and Tauiwi—
people singing, praying, and walking in solidarity, symbolising a nation of peace and harmony.
Many of us stand firm in the pursuit of partnership, social justice, and equity, which can be
achieved by supporting Te Tiriti o Waitangi. A cause we began as Anglicans in the early 1800s,
and one we must see through to its realisation.
Some of us have hesitated on this issue as a response to the fears and anxieties that true
partnership can evoke. As with Christianity, Te Ao Māori is rooted in values of hospitality and
respect, always extending manaakitanga to others.
We are the Church of Te Tiriti, integrating a Te Tiriti o Waitangi-based framework that upholds
the principles of partnership and bicultural development. Our Three Tikanga streams represent
a forward-looking approach to co-governance, thoughtfully shaped in response to the legacy of
colonial oppression.
Each Tikanga has enriched the Church through its unique expression of Anglicanism. The
Tikanga model is not flawless, but as Anglicans, we have the capacity for self-reflection and
critical assessment, enabling the Church to adapt and grow over time.
As Galatians 3:28 (NRSV) reminds us, “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave
or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” This verse
speaks to the equality of all people, each person is accorded the same dignity in Christ,
challenging the Church to break down barriers and seek unity in Christ.
We encourage our communion to continue working across Tikanga, to learn, speak openly,
march, and actively engage in conversations about the significance of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. We
must continue to give voice to its significance and keep it alive in the national consciousness.
Archbishop Don Tamihere, Justin Duckworth, Sione Ulu’ilakepa
I endorse the Archbishops’ message. I see the central flaw in the Treaty principles bill is that it is not a bill brought jointly to parliament by Māori and Pākehā. Te Tiriti requires any changes to it to be brought by the two parties who signed the treaty. Not by just one party. What the hikoi and other protests make clear to us is that Māori have not been consulted with, in the composition of the bill, and there is no majority Māori support for the bill coming to parliament. Indeed, the contrary is the case. The bill is a disturbance on relationships between Pākehā and Māori and a threat to the well-being of Māori. It should be withdrawn immediately, and the National Party should take a lead in repudiating their agreement with ACT on this matter on the grounds that no part of a government’s coalition agreement should be injurious to the nation it seeks to govern.
A prayer event has been organised with Te Hui Amorangi o te Waipounamu for tonight to pray for the hikoi tomorrow at the Transitional Cathedral at 7pm. All are welcome to this event. If you are not otherwise engaged, please come to this event, or if unable to make it, pause for prayer for our nation at 7pm tonight.
I know many will be praying through today.
May God’s kingdom come,
+Peter.