Matua Shane Jones and I often agree to disagree on various issues, but one thing we do share is a willingness to kōrero about our differences.
Because I don't speak te reo Māori, our discussions are always in English.
This came to mind when I read how angered Matua Shane Jones was over the decision at Dame Tariana Turia's tangi to bar non-reo speakers from paying their respects.
Dame Tariana tirelessly served all her people, with or without te reo, and on this matter, the minister and I are in complete agreement.
As accustomed as he is to taking quotes from the Bible, he might well have included this reference from Genesis 11:67: "If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other."
This resonates on a number of levels but, given the current state of our politics, it is the observation that, "if people all spoke the same language nothing would be impossible" that is of most relevance.
Dividing people on the basis of language sows confusion and discord. Does that have a familiar ring to it?
This isn't an argument for English as the one language for all, it's a call for communication that includes everyone.
To come together, share views, to debate openly our different positions, or show respect and aroha, as should have been the case at the tangi of this wonderful wahine toa.
We have to do it in a way that allows everyone to participate, and in a way that everyone understands.
At her tangi, a single language created division instead of fostering unity.
At the very least, that opportunity should have been extended to the three prime ministers who came to honour Dame Tariana on behalf of the nation.
Matua Shane Jones captured the essence of this when he said "So what if they had spoken English, expressions of aroha and sadness are universal."
The irony, seemingly missed by those who made the call on the paepae, is that by accepting the honour of becoming a dame, Tariana was acknowledging the link between Māori and the English monarch, Queen Victoria, that was first established with the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in 1840.
Dame Tariana was a staunch advocate for the rights enshrined in Te Tiriti. As we navigate the confusion and division stoked by David Seymour's Treaty Principles Bill, it's even more critical for Māori to lead inclusively, conveying our position in ways accessible to those unfamiliar with the nuances of the Treaty.
Confusion over Te Tiriti stretches back to 1840 when 500 rangatira signed up to a document, written in Māori, that many of them could not read, but which was conveyed to them orally, in te reo.
Roimata Smail's wonderful handbook, Understanding Te Tiriti, illustrates this complexity by using English to clarify the key differences between Te Tiriti o Waitangi (in Māori) and its English counterpart, which the Crown appeared to act upon from the day of signing.
At the time, Māori outnumbered settlers 40 to one, making the Māori text, signed by 500 rangatira, the logical foundation for understanding Te Tiriti. Smail breaks it down simply for us, in English.
Article one: kawanatanga (governance), The Queen governs her British subjects in Aotearoa.
Article two: tino rangatiratanga (sovereignty), Māori retain full authority over their land, resources, and way of life, but agree to sell land only to the Crown.
Article three: protection and citizenship, Māori are promised the same protection and rights as British citizens.
These are positions that have been ruled on extensively through our courts and Dame Tariana and Tā Pita Sharples, as co-leaders of the Māori Party, advanced all of these principles, on behalf of their people, respectfully and collaboratively with their Pākehā colleagues, almost always in English.
These two elements, respect and collaboration, have been sadly absent from the discussions that have been hijacked by the two minority parties, Act New Zealand and Te Pati Māori, as they have simply taken to shouting at each other.
Te Pāti Māori, the party founded by Dame Turiana, should be the one to lead by the example she set.
If, as Matua Shane Jones suggested, there was politics behind the decision that prevented Pākehā leaders speaking at the hui because they did not have te reo, then that runs counter to the wisdom that Dame Tariana, alongside Tā Pita Sharples, brought to politics in Aotearoa.
In making the decision to ban non-te reo speaking guests on the paepae at Dame Tariana's tangi it would seem this beautiful Māori whakatauki was put to one side.
E koekoe te t, e ketekete te kk, e kk te kerer.
The t sings, the kk chatters, the kerer coos.
Each bird has its unique way of communicating, but together they create harmony. This proverb reminds us to value diverse voices and ensure everyone is heard and understood.
That wisdom, sadly, was absent at a time and place where it would have been most valuable.
Sir Ian Taylor is founder and managing director of Dunedin company Animation Research.
