Te Kahu o Taonui Taitokerau Iwi Chairs Collective stand with Te Upoko o Te Ika mana whenua in their stance against the Convoy 2022 Protest currently congregating at Parliament in Wellington. Like the local iwi there, we condemn this occupation and urge any Taitokerau uri that are currently participating to make their way safely back to their homes. We echo the sentiments that respect be shown to their lands and people with a timely and peaceful resolution consistent with the tikanga of mana whenua.

This protest has seen crowds of those opposing COVID-19 mandates and many other antagonists converge on Parliament grounds, on a range of differing issues. This has gone on far too long and has taken away from the extraordinary work of our iwi and local health authorities in keeping our communities, kaumātua and whānau safe from this pandemic. We are in support of actions being taken to protect all those who have been and continue to be threatened, intimidated, and victimised.

Te Kahu o Taonui support the right to peaceful protest in Aotearoa and wish to extend this notion of rangimarie to all our Taitokerau uri at the protest to respect the wishes of mana whenua in the same way they have for us when we have made decisions about what we feel is best for our rohe. We in Te Taitokerau will continue to build on our work over the last 23 months with Police and government agencies, around border control and vaccinations, whilst also keeping the pressure on and taking action when it comes to other significant issues that affect our whānau, hapū, iwi of the North and te iwi Māori as a whole.

We therefore tautoko the seeking of a peaceful resolution in this matter and urge our uri to return home and get involved to mahi tahi together with us in continuing the dialogue and action within our own hapori and communities, for our collective benefit.

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