The Len Reynolds Trust acknowledges the unprecedented 7 to 21-day suspensions of Te Pāti Māori MPs following their performance of a haka in Parliament. While we do not advocate for any political party, we are deeply concerned about the underlying message this sends—especially to rangatahi Māori and to all those striving to be seen, heard, and valued in systems not designed with them in mind.
Though the official reason for suspension was the MPs leaving their assigned seats—a breach of procedural rules—it is essential to question whose rules these are, and who they were designed for. These are rules inherited from a colonised system, rooted in traditions that were never made to reflect Māori ways of being, knowing, or expressing identity.
The haka is not merely a performance; it is a sacred, cultural practice of protest, mourning, unity, and resistance. To characterise it as “intimidating” or disruptive fails to recognise its depth and intent. This interpretation, and the punitive response that followed, reflect an ongoing discomfort within colonised institutions when confronted with unapologetic Māori expression.
The disproportionate lengths of the suspensions, 7 or 21 days, the longest ever issued in Parliament—highlights the deep inequities that persist. Such an extreme response reinforces the message that authenticity, when expressed outside the boundaries of colonial norms, will be penalised rather than understood.
To Our Rangatahi Māori:
We see you. We acknowledge your mamae. We recognise your desire to stand tall in your whakapapa and your tikanga. And we stand beside you as you challenge systems that were never built to include your truth. You deserve to thrive in a society that values your voice—not one that silences it when it does not conform.
Our Commitment as a Trust
The systems many of us operate within—including those within Parliament—are not neutral. They reflect colonial worldviews and frameworks that have long excluded indigenous ways of being. If we are to build a truly just and inclusive Aotearoa, we must be brave enough to question and transform these systems, not just work around them.
At the Len Reynolds Trust, we are guided by the values of tikanga, manaakitanga, and honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi. This means listening deeply, standing in solidarity, and actively working to dismantle the barriers that uphold inequity.
We reaffirm our commitment to:
Challenging colonised systems that invalidate or punish Māori expression;
Championing Māori-led solutions and intergenerational wellbeing grounded in tikanga and whakapapa;
Backing courageous disruptors, especially those who stand for equity and cultural integrity;
Promoting true social cohesion, where diverse expressions of identity are affirmed, not marginalised.
Honouring MP Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke
The Trust particularly acknowledges the courage and conviction of Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke, MP for Rāhui Pōkeka (Huntly), whose leadership in performing the haka has reverberated globally. In response to the Treaty Principles Bill, which seeks to reinterpret Te Tiriti o Waitangi in ways that could undermine Māori rights, she took a clear and deliberate stand.
Hana-Rāwhiti’s choice to tear the bill during the protest was not impulsive—it came after every other pathway had been tried. “We had tried many different points of order, we had tried to play the game, we tried the speeches, we tried taking it out to select committees,” she said at the time. Her statement that the bill “means nothing to me” reflects the disconnection between colonial processes and the lived realities of Māori.
As a community trust based in Waikato, we recognise the voice and leadership of Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke. Her actions reflect a generation of rangatahi who can assert their place, rooted in whakapapa and tikanga.
This is not about defending political positions. It is about standing firm in our values. It is about recognising that systemic change requires more than procedural reform—it requires cultural honesty, decolonised thinking, and bold, heart-led action.
Let us continue the Reynolds legacy by walking with integrity, daring to be different, and always working to ensure that Waikato is a place where all tamariki and rangatahi can be secure, resilient, and thriving—in their full, authentic selves.
He waka eke noa – We are all in this together.