October 15th Solidarity - Remember the state terror raids

Saturday, 9th August 2008, NZ Herald

If all the world's a stage, Tame Iti has had a fair few performances _ but the quietest came a week ago at Parliament when Tuhoe signed up to start Treaty negotiations with the Crown.

He was upstaged by fellow sovereignty activist Te Weeti, photographed gesturing as Tuhoe signatories signed the terms and moved across to hongi dignitaries.

Last year Mr Iti was on the police most wanted list during the terror raids, and he still faces serious firearms charges.

But the man who spat at the feet of Labour ministers during the foreshore and seabed hikoi in 2004 moved with dignity to hongi Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen.

Since the raids Mr Iti has kept a low profile in Maoridom. He has slipped in quietly to iwi hui around the country.

Has the man gone soft? Isn't he Mr Tino Rangatiratanga?

Mr Iti says there are two inevitables of change happening _ the first is the tino rangatiratanga movement has to evolve. He won't criticise Te Weeti, and is careful to point out that none of what he says relates to his Ruatoki relation.

But those involved had to start acting differently, he said.

"I think I can say we have to act like rangatira more than victims. I still think people are in the victim mode. I think we have to get away from that. I've never been a victim, I've never seen myself as broken-arse.

"I always hate that kind of korero _ `we are very poor' _ but we're not poor. For me we've always been rich in many ways."

For a man who has made a point of big statements _ firing guns, mooning dignitaries, sitting with a box of matches at a forestry settlement negotiation meeting _ isn't asking people to act more chiefly a bit rich?

Don't misunderstand him, he said.

"I'm still Mr Tino Rangatiratanga.

"I've always acted like a rangatira. Everything I've done, I've picked a place and a time _ and there are consequences to my actions. I don't go around causing chaos, there are boundary lines.

"I think some people will only see me with a bare bum, they see me spitting and I think that's the problem, that's the difficulty I have. At the same time I know that people in this country are not stupid."

Tino rangatiratanga was already moving to the next phase, he said. The first involved protest, and opening people's eyes to forms of racism. Now tino rangatiratanga had to have some practical meaning.

He agrees with another Tuhoe leader, Tamati Kruger, who said the "slogan" had power when the iwi had no power. Now, as the tribe becomes a major multimillion-dollar force in the forestry industry courtesy of the Central North Island collective deal, things have changed.

The challenge is to give substance to Tuhoe's self-determination aspirations _ that can happen through these negotiations, Mr Iti believes.

But those involved had to start acting differently, he said.

"I think I can say we have to act like rangatira more than victims. I still think people are in the victim mode. I think we have to get away from that. I've never been a victim, I've never seen myself as broken-arse.

"I always hate that kind of korero _ `we are very poor' _ but we're not poor. For me we've always been rich in many ways."

For a man who has made a point of big statements _ firing guns, mooning dignitaries, sitting with a box of matches at a forestry settlement negotiation meeting _ isn't asking people to act more chiefly a bit rich?

Don't misunderstand him, he said.

"I'm still Mr Tino Rangatiratanga.

"I've always acted like a rangatira. Everything I've done, I've picked a place and a time _ and there are consequences to my actions. I don't go around causing chaos, there are boundary lines.

"I think some people will only see me with a bare bum, they see me spitting and I think that's the problem, that's the difficulty I have. At the same time I know that people in this country are not stupid."

Tino rangatiratanga was already moving to the next phase, he said. The first involved protest, and opening people's eyes to forms of racism. Now tino rangatiratanga had to have some practical meaning.

He agrees with another Tuhoe leader, Tamati Kruger, who said the "slogan" had power when the iwi had no power. Now, as the tribe becomes a major multimillion-dollar force in the forestry industry courtesy of the Central North Island collective deal, things have changed.

The challenge is to give substance to Tuhoe's self-determination aspirations _ that can happen through these negotiations, Mr Iti believes.

He says both issues aren't things New Zealanders should be "paranoid" about _ change need not be violent.

He voted for himself as one of 13 candidates for three co-negotiation positions to represent Tuhoe in negotiations _ although the Weekend Herald understands he was unsuccessful. It's not something he's too upset about.

Today he flies to Switzerland, to performing on another stage as the main character in The Tempest.