Chris Finlayson came up to Ahipara today to sign an “Agreement in Principle” with the five tribes of Te Hiku o Te Ika (Ngati Kuri, Te Aupouri, Ngai Takoto, Ngati Kahu and Te Rarawa). Hopefully with this signing we are nearing the end of the settlement process for these iwi. Amongst a few other things they’ll get some land returned and some money. The total value of the settlement will be but a fraction of what was flogged originally.

It was overall a very interesting and productive day.

A couple of observations:
1) One speech acknowledged that the negotiations were  one way of getting something back for iwi, but that there was another path as well which was to continue the type of protesting and occupation that is going on at the moment at Taipa on what used to be the camping ground. That’s the same path we’ve been going down since Hone Heke took to that flagpole with an axe.

I’m  annoyed that many fail to see that education of our youth is yet a third path to Maori getting ahead.

When the speeches are going on there’s a bit of the old fighting talk, as if some speakers say what they believe people want to hear. I wish these kaumatua would start talking up education. We keep saying our rangatahi (youth) are our leaders of tomorrow, but no one on our marae are urging parents to get their kids to school and to support them to be successful.

2) Part of the settlement is to include funds for social solutions. I hope like heck that this doesn’t mean just supporting youth who get kicked out of school.

There should be some plan developed between iwi, parents and schools that prevents kids getting kicked out of school in the first place.

I believe a partnership between iwi and schools is a solution. That partnership should involve cooperative  analysis of schools’ achievement data so that iwi and schools can work together to identify areas of strength and weakness and failing students. Then decisions can be made together as to what needs to happen when underachievement is identified.

An appropriate iwi educator could be appointed to set up and monitor alongside the students, parents and teacher individual education plans for each child. If a child is identified as falling behind, then the iwi person could be a support person for the parent and child to get help from the schools.

The iwi education person could help parents who are unsure/ afraid/ unable to ask questions of teachers regarding their progress and/ or behaviour.

Or if the schools need support from home, then the iwi person and teacher could liaise with the parents.

3) One of the speakers wished everyone a Happy New Year. A kaumatua sitting next to me leaned over and said, “Kelvin, the best New Year’s wish for me would be not to have our courthouse full of Maori each week.”

I reckon if the five iwi of Te Hiku o te Ika sit down with schools and come up with a decent education plan based on the use of achievement data, it would be a productive use of some of the settlement monies and we may just be able to fulfil that kaumatua’s wish.

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