Wahine toa

Written By: - Date published: 5:04 pm, August 8th, 2016 - 38 comments
Categories: labour, Maori Issues, Nanaia Mahuta - Tags: , ,

From Radio NZ:

Labour MP for Hauraki Waikato Nanaia Mahuta will return to Parliament tomorrow wearing a moko kauae – a traditional tattoo on her chin.

She will be the first woman MP to wear the moko in Parliament, which has been on recess.

Ms Mahuta said she hadn’t given much thought to breaking new ground with the tattoo, but hoped she would inspire others.

Other Māori women MPs paid tribute to Ms Mahuta today saying they were excited the tradition of Tā Moko would be seen inside Parliament.

Greens MP Marama Davidson told RNZ, “I think this is fantastic and it’s an international moment”.

More on Newshub tonight:

Kia kaha!

38 comments on “Wahine toa ”

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  1. Cinny 1
    8 August 2016 at 5:22 pm

    Beautiful, worn with pride by a strong wahine whom I feel is brimming with mana. Much respect.

  2. Draco T Bastard 2
    8 August 2016 at 5:23 pm

    Awesome. Need to see more of this.

  3. Rosemary McDonald 3
    8 August 2016 at 7:07 pm

    Nanaia Mahuta could have claimed the right to the moko purely on the grounds of her being born to the ‘aristocracy’, being directly related to the current Maori king.

    But she has earned her moko. Quietly staunch, and working largely behind the scenes and oftentimes under scrutiny and facing unfair criticism.

    She has dealt with personal tragedy with dignity.

    She can wear that moko with pride, and hopefully it will give her the strength she is going to need if she stands again in the next election.

    With Mr Morgan having declared war over the Maori seats at the next election, there is going to be a considerable amount of tension amoungst the Tainui whanau.

    Interesting article about the resurgence of moko from 2011…

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/5835440/People-should-respect-moko

    “Moko as a custom has been sustained for Maori women longer than it has for men and there are varying theories about why this is. “[Moko] is an incredibly beautifying adornment. It’s a way of enhancing one’s looks and much of the earlier compulsion in the nineteenth and twentieth century was as much about vanity as it was about identity,” says Te Awekotuku. “I think that for Maori women, there has always been a need to be visible and responsible to the people, to the descendants, to the mokopuna and also to the ancestors, and it’s worn with pride and it’s worn with a real sense of remembering.””

  4. mauī 4
    8 August 2016 at 8:58 pm

    Great stuff.

  6. vto 6
    8 August 2016 at 9:55 pm

    Nanaia would make for a great Prime Minister true

  7. mosa 7
    8 August 2016 at 10:01 pm

    I have always had huge respect for Nanaia and i am proud that she is the first woman in parliament to wear a moko and its well earned.
    I think she is vital in Labours eventual comeback and should have a higher profile.

  8. Tarquin 8
    9 August 2016 at 9:53 am

    Twenty years in parliament and all she has accomplished is a tattoo.

    • framu 8.1
      9 August 2016 at 10:17 am

      troll be trolling

      • Tarquin 8.1.1
        9 August 2016 at 10:20 am

        I’m just asking a simple question. Would you care to list her achievements? It shouldn’t take long.

        • maninthemiddle 8.1.1.1
          9 August 2016 at 2:06 pm

          …got a hideous tattoo on her chin….

          end.

          • Daveosaurus 8.1.1.1.1
            9 August 2016 at 5:45 pm

            I’ve seen a few news reports recently about later-generation descendants of immigrants who hate their host countries and everything they stand for. Generally right after they’ve blown themselves up in restaurants, movie theatres, or wherever. So, would you care to let the readers know which restaurant you intend blowing yourself up in, and when?

            • maninthemiddle 8.1.1.1.1.1
              9 August 2016 at 5:52 pm

              Gee the only people I recall that “hate their host countries and everything they stand for. Generally right after they’ve blown themselves up in restaurants, movie theatres, or wherever” are muslims. I’m not a muslim.

              • Daveosaurus …
                11 August 2016 at 5:44 pm

                So, you’re not only a racial bigot, but a religious bigot as well. Would you care to try for sexism while you’re at it?

                • maninthemiddle …
                  12 August 2016 at 1:27 pm

                  Are you suggesting I have said anything incorrect? Is it not muslims who you were referring to above? I’m not aware of any other groups engaging the behaviour your described.

                  • One Anonymous Bloke …
                    12 August 2016 at 4:38 pm

                    You hate your host country. That much is obvious from your remarks.

                    • maninthemiddle …
                      12 August 2016 at 4:45 pm

                      I love my country of birth. NZ. Not sure what that has to do with this subject, but then you;re not known for your rational discourse.

                    • One Anonymous Bloke …
                      12 August 2016 at 4:49 pm

                      Yes, you’re not sure. Unless someone else can be bothered engaging with you, you’re going to have to work it out for yourself.

          • Grant 8.1.1.1.2
            10 August 2016 at 8:58 am

            Your ugliness is inside your head. end.

          • Muttonbird 8.1.1.1.3
            10 August 2016 at 9:35 am

            I knew this sort of racist attack would come out eventually. They can’t help themselves.

            • maninthemiddle 8.1.1.1.3.1
              11 August 2016 at 11:58 am

              Calling a tattoo ‘hideous’ is racist now?

              • Grant …
                12 August 2016 at 3:34 pm

                So it’s just that particular design motif you find “hideous”?

                • maninthemiddle …
                  12 August 2016 at 3:48 pm

                  No. I find many design motives used for tattoos hideous. I have also seen some amazing Maori motifs as tattoos. In the 19th century, where they belong.

                  • Grant …
                    12 August 2016 at 4:03 pm

                    So rather than being purely racist, your expressed opinion is more of a crass and gratuitous insult made by a bad mannered oaf?

                    One who would undoubtedly lack the wherewithal to make the comment in the presence of someone wearing a moko?

                    “In the 19th century, where they belong.” Or are we to take it from this additional comment that in fact you are not being completely honest. Your distaste doesn’t stop at just the aesthetic values of the design does it? In fact you have issues with this particular expression of Māori culture, don’t you?

                    • maninthemiddle …
                      12 August 2016 at 4:11 pm

                      “So rather than being purely racist, your expressed opinion is more of a crass and gratuitous insult made by a bad mannered oaf?”
                      No, I am making an aesthetic judgement based on personal opinion. Just as if I expressed distaste at some of the paintings in the Hermitage in St Petersburg.

                      “One who would undoubtedly lack the wherewithal to make the comment in the presence of someone wearing a moko?”
                      Actually, no. I would happily engage with a Moko wearer, explaining how such a disfigurement may have been appropriate in a 19th century tribal culture, but totally inappropriate in a 21st century modern society.

                      “Or are we to take it from this additional comment that in fact you are not being completely honest. Your distaste doesn’t stop at just the aesthetic values of the design does it? In fact you have issues with this particular expression of Māori culture, don’t you?”
                      No. I have problems with this particular facial disfigurement.

                    • Grant …
                      12 August 2016 at 4:23 pm

                      “No, I am making an aesthetic judgement based on personal opinion. Just as if I expressed distaste at some of the paintings in the Hermitage in St Petersburg.”

                      But you wouldn’t be making an aesthetic judgement about an inanimate work of art would you? You are making an offensive remark about the choices and appearance and cultural imperatives of a human being. One who has a right to express themselves in any way they choose without having you making your ill-judged comments about their cultural traditions.

                      “I would happily engage with a Moko wearer, explaining how such a disfigurement may have been appropriate in a 19th century tribal culture, but totally inappropriate in a 21st century modern society.”

                      I seriously doubt whether you’re telling the truth about this, but if you are I imagine the response you got would be short and sharp and in some cases possibly painful. I for one would pay for a front row seat.

                    • maninthemiddle …
                      12 August 2016 at 4:33 pm

                      “But you wouldn’t be making an aesthetic judgement about an inanimate work of art would you? You are making an offensive remark about the choices and appearance and cultural imperatives of a human being.”
                      So?

                      “One who has a right to express themselves in any way they choose without having you making your ill-judged comments about their cultural traditions.”
                      I’m not removing that right, anymore than you are removing my right to comment on it. I’m simply calling it ugly.

                      “I seriously doubt whether you’re telling the truth about this, but if you are I imagine the response you got would be short and sharp and in some cases possibly painful. I for one would pay for a front row seat.”
                      Really? So you’re suggesting that the response of a Maori woman to my objection would be violence? That’s just a touch racist.

                    • Grant …
                      12 August 2016 at 5:55 pm

                      “So?”
                      So we have established the truth of my opening remarks about your being an ill mannered oaf.

                      ”I’m not removing that right”

                      Yes, you are removing the right of that individual to express themselves unimpeded by the bigotry of a low EQ sociopath who thinks they have the right to tell the tangata whenua how they might like to go about divesting themselves of aspects of their culture.

                      “So you’re suggesting that the response of a Maori woman to my objection would be violence? That’s just a touch racist.”

                      A) Men also wear moko.
                      B) I’m observing that if you make a habit of being a bad mannered dick to everyone whose appearance you take exception to, someone will eventually punch you in the nose. My sympathies would be with them rather than you on almost every occasion

    • Rosemary McDonald 8.2
      9 August 2016 at 10:37 am

      Sounds like the narrative coming from Hone Harawira…

      “”No offence to the 25 Maoris in Parliament, but they are kind of hardly noticeable. You’ve got to have somebody who is in there who is a fighter, somebody who won’t be cowed by party politics, or by parliamentary politics and who is going to stand up and say what needs to be said, whenever it needs to be said.”

      “Maoridom needs a fighter, not just a backing vocalist about six rows back.””

      So, after slamming all of the 25 Maori MPs, he lifts the covers for a return to bed with the Maori Party…

      http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/81220433/Hone-Harawira-and-the-Mana-Party-to-make-a-comeback-for-the-2017-election

      …who have declared they are going to win all of the Maori seats…http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/309829/mana,-maori-party-want-seats-'back-in-maori-hands‘

      With Hone’s help….http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/te-manu-korihi/309038/bacon,-eggs-and-a-potential-political-alliance

      Including, no doubt, Nanaia’s seat.

      Oh, isn’t politics a dirty, dirty game!

      • marty mars 8.2.1
        9 August 2016 at 10:53 am

        If you are in a party you are bound by party agreements that is a fact. Both the Māori Party and the Mana Movement formed because someone Māori didn’t like or agree with the party position. i feel that is good.

  9. Tarquin 9
    9 August 2016 at 10:59 am

    Much as I dislike Hone I agree with him in this case. Nanaia is there for Tribal / nepotistic reasons only. Politics truly is a dirty game, Labour should have someone far better in this seat.

  10. Tarquin 10
    9 August 2016 at 12:22 pm

    Still waiting.

    • framu 10.1
      9 August 2016 at 3:28 pm

      for what?

      are you expecting me to A) to do your research for you or B) find you a question mark?

      im not defending her record mate – just reacting to what looked very much like a stock standard troll tactic – if it was an honest question, then fine – but maybe go and look yourself.

      no malice intended on my part