Student Tyler Dixon is used to being asked about women’s place on the marae. Her pakeha friends ask if the traditional role of women in the powhiri is sexist. “I just try to explain that females have their own type of mana. Traditionally Maori really revered their women, and looked after their women, and I guess it’s about maintaining that kind of whakaaro.” That view is a stark contrast to some older women.
A powhiri to welcome guests for the annual Ratana celebrations in 2014 Photo: Diego Opatowski/RNZ
Parliament could change its protocol to allow women to speak in Maori welcome ceremonies after complaints from some female MPs who felt the current tikanga belittled their status.
The Speaker of the House, David Carter, is in the process of reviewing parliamentary protocol after two senior female Labour MPs raised the red flag last year in July. During a powhiri for Youth Parliament, Labour MPs Maryan Street and Annette King were made to move from the front row of seats or paepae, which is the orators bench usually reserved for men.
"A lot of importance is placed on the powhiri process by non-Maori because that's all they really see of the culture." - Tyler Dixon Photo: Supplied
Street believes it sent the wrong message to the youth MPs, and says it was time for Parliament to develop its own kawa [protocol]. "This isn't how I want young people to see Parliament. I want them to see Parliament as a place of equals, and this kawa doesn't reflect that". Suggestions by MPs include making provisions for women to speak in welcome ceremonies, and allowing high ranking female MPs to sit in the front seats or paepae.
The Speaker, along with the Clerk of the House and the cultural advisors have been reviewing the protocol since July. So far no date has been set on its release.
Mererangi Moore, Kieran Bristowe-Timu and Arizona Collins, are all Year 13 students at Te Kura Maori o Porirua. They say “when in Rome, do as the Romans do.” “I don’t understand why women are changing, trying to change the tikanga, when our tikanga was that men stood on the pae, and our role was to karanga.”
The girls say women can have their say after the powhiri anyway, which is fine with them. They like things the way they are, and believe Maori protocol keeps them protected. “Woman holds the whakapapa. So you don’t want anything to happen to her.”
Tyler Dixon, who is in her last year of a business degree at Massey University in Wellington. She's also the Maori student representative of the Student's Association, and wants to help her peers better understand the Maori culture.
“A lot of importance is placed on the powhiri process by non-Maori because that's all they really see of the culture,” she says. "The powhiri is about forming connections between manuhiri [guests] and tangata whenua, not about making decisions."
“We’ve got strong Maori leaders, and they are female. It’s about holding on to tradition,” Tyler says. She won't be pushing for any change to the traditions and gender roles associated with powhiri.
You can hear more about this issue this week on Radio New Zealand’s Insight.