Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer told Te Ao Māori News reporter Whatitiri Te Wake that MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke described Te Matatini as “internationally hot, locally not.”
“It was powerful, it hit with us.
“That koira te āhua, that’s what we have before us, is that this is internationally the biggest thing for other indigenous people. So we need to see that it is treated like that, it’s resourced like that, and politically renowned like that.
“I think that then is the rongo for all the negativity we see that doesn’t embrace our reo and us as Māori. I think it’s about carrying on and supporting what it is we see but be able to give strength in resourcing and politics to emphasise what te ao Māori is showing to the world.”
Ngarewa-Packer said investment and resources were essential for the competition to continue thriving.
“I think the biggest thing is to be able to give it its dues as far as the investment and the resourcing.
“Also to be able to remove all the barriers that are in the way of our reo, that don’t embrace our reo.”
In this year’s government budget, the coalition government confirmed Te Matatini funding would run until the 2027/28 budget, receiving $49 million for four years. However, this will see a slight annual decrease, from around $17 million to a little over $16 million.
‘We’re going to see all the reo’
This will be the first time in 30 years the region will host Te Matatini, and Te Tai Hauāuru MP said she could only think of how much Māori have grown.
“Matatini and us as Māori are exponentially growing, there’s a million of us now.
“I guess the honour of hosting but also the responsibility and obligation on us is really felt.
“There’s an excitement but also real nervousness, a healthy nervousness about it all.”
With Taranaki is hosting next year’s competition, Te Pāti Māori co-leader called it the most important thing happening for the region.
“It is about us not only hosting, it’s about us having our maunga, to mirimiri, to look after everyone. It’s [about] the rongo for us.
“As te ao Māori we’re going to see all the reo, all the ihi, the wehi of what it is that te ao Māori facing at the moment.
“We know this is the start of it, it’s a bit of a dress rehearsal, so we’ve seen all our whānau on the buggies, but it’s just awesome to be together here as whānau ngā o Taranaki o te kāhui maunga.