Bring back Goodwill and Cooperation into the House
Māori Party candidate for Tāmaki Makaurau, Rangi McLean if elected into parliament on 20 September will be continuing a
sacred tradition which directly connects him to the first Maori MPs in Parliament, and specifically Tareha Te Moananui -
the MP for the Eastern Maori Electorate from 1868- 1870 - and the first Māori MP to speak in the House.
Mr McLean is also connected by whakapapa to the wife of Tareha Te Moananui who came from Waimana.
In that first address on 4 August 1868, Tareha Te Moananui, a great Ngāti Kahungunu leader and tupuna of Hon Dr Pita
Sharples, emphasized to the House the importance of goodwill and cooperation. He went further in his maiden speech to
explain that the thoughts of Māori people lie in a different direction to the European, and that is why distinctive
Māori representation is so vital to our nation moving forward.
The only other Māori MP to have a full-faced moko was Karaitiana Takamoana, MP for the Eastern Māori Electorate from
1871 -1879.
"I would be so proud, to be the first Māori MP in living memory, to bring a full-faced moko back into the House" said Mr
McLean.
"Tā Moko is a living art form - it is a strong statement that we wear to honour the traditions of our tupuna. Within the
tā moko we connect to whakapapa - that sacred thread that binds us to the generations before us. It represents our
culture, our customs, our people, our heritage.
"In the 21st century we have seen a revival of tā moko as part of the revival of Māori culture. Getting a full-faced
moko was my statement of pride in being Māori - to do all that I can to uphold our values, to walk the talk and be part
of our collective movement for our whānau.
"The Maori Party is the logical home for me to continue my lifelong ambition to represent Māori, to listen to their
concerns and do something about it," says Mr McLean.
On current polling, Rangi McLean (28%) is facing a close battle with Labour candidate Peeni Henare (27%) for the Tāmaki
Makaurau seat.
ends