STRATEGIES OF RESISTANCE TO STATE INFLUENCE IN MARAE

MANAGEMENT

Reconciling Tensions Between Community Self-

Determination And

State Authority

What is the nature of the state’s influence on marae?

How do marae strengthen their rangatiratanga in light of this influence?

STATE LEGISLATION

MAORI LAND COURT

TRUSTEES

MARAE

STATE AUTHORITY

MARAE COMMITTEE

EXECUTIVE

THE COMMUNITY

COMMUNITY AUTHORITY

TWO AUTHORITIES FOR MARAE

MARAE COMMITTEE

EXECUTIVE

THE COMMUNITYSTATE LEGISLATION

MAORI LAND COURT

TRUSTEES

MARAE

SOME DEFINITIONS OF MARAE

Physical complex Complex with a meeting house and marae atea Community gathering place Place for cultural expression Community centre Village Sanctuary

A MARAE IS

A SYMBOLIC OR PHYSICAL

HOME FOR A

KIN-BASED GROUP

LandCommunity

Whare

NATIONAL SURVEY OF MARAE

1997

1031 active marae identified nationwide

877 participated in the survey

72% registered under Te Ture Whenua (Maori Land) Act

A MAORI RESERVATION IS …

A block of land … Held in trust … For a specific purpose (eg marae) … For the benefit of a specified group of

people (eg a named hapu or iwi)

LEGISLATION FOR RESERVATIONS

Te Ture Whenua Maori Act 1993

Maori Reservations Regulations 1994

Administered by the Maori Land Court

MAORI RESERVATIONS

marae church site recreation ground

village site burial ground sports ground

meeting place spring fishing ground

landing place well bathing place

building site timber reserve

catchment area or other source of water supply

place of cultural, historical, or scenic interest

for any other specified purpose

MAIN MANAGEMENT GROUPS

Of the 877 marae surveyed

  44% had a current trustees committee 54% had a marae committee

MARAE COMMITTEE COMPRISES …

Members of the marae community and

the marae executive

who are at the marae committee hui

FUNCTION OF THE MARAE COMMITTEE

Day-to-day care of the marae Administration Wider community involvement Development project planning

COMMITTEE AUTHORITY

TRUSTEES

Court appointed Hierarchy of authority Fixed duties

governed by rules Authority to give

commands

MARAE COMMITTEE

Community membership

Hui Kaumatua Kawa Consensus

decisionmaking

OPTIONS FOR RECONCILING AUTHORITY

1. Replace the marae committee with the trustees committee

2. Make a version of the marae committee a sub-committee of the trustees

RETAINING RANGATIRATANGA

Link trustees committee to the paepae

RETAINING RANGATIRATANGA

Link trustees committee to the paepae The community handles problems

REINFORCING RANGATIRATANGA

Link trustees committee to the paepae The community handles problems

REINFORCING RANGATIRATANGA

Link trustees committee to the paepae The community handles problems Restrict trustees sphere of influence

REINFORCING RANGATIRATANGA

Link trustees committee to the paepae The community handles problems Restrict trustees sphere of influence Trustees and marae committee have a

perceived hierarchical role

REINFORCING RANGATIRATANGA

Link trustees committee to the paepae The community handles problems Restrict trustees sphere of influence Trustees and marae committee have a

perceived hierarchical role Use marae executive as a bridging

committee

TRUSTEES’ POWERS

Authorize activities Issue permits Call administration meetings Make appointments and employ advisers Apply to the Court for directions

AUTHORIZATION PROCESS FOR ACTIVITIES

TRUSTEES

A formal process of:

1. Written applications

2. Meeting to grant/decline

MARAE COMMITTEE

Logistical consideration at marae committee hui

RECONCILIATION: The marae committee approves activities; the trustees can access the marae committee’s records.

ORGANIZING MEETINGSTRUSTEES Held when necessary Requires a quorum Decision by majority

vote of trustees Record in minute book

MARAE COMMITTEE Held monthly Proceeds with whoever is

in attendance Decisions by consensus Record in minute book

RECONCILIATION: Each committee holds separate meetings with trustees meetings following the regulations. Each handles different issues.

APPOINTMENTS

TRUSTEES

Formal process not required

Decisions by majority vote

MARAE COMMITTEE

Nominations process Election process for

trustees and executive

RECONCILIATION: The marae committee appoints administrative officials based on a three-year term of office and using AGM procedures set out in the Regulations.

HIERARCHY OF AUTHORITY

Trustees

Marae Committee

Marae Executive

Maori Land Court

Marae Community

HIERARCHY OF AUTHORITY

Trustees Marae Committee

Marae Executive

Maori Land Court

Marae Community

OTHER RESERVATIONS REGULATIONS

1. Prepare a charter

2. Display permanent notices

3. Procedures for official complaints to the Court

OTHER RESERVATIONS REGULATIONS

1. Prepare a charter

2. Display permanent notices3. Procedures for official complaints to the

Court

OTHER RESERVATIONS REGULATIONS

1. Prepare a charter2. Display permanent notices

3. Procedures for official complaints to the Court

OTHER RESERVATIONS REGULATIONS

1. Prepare a charter

2. Display permanent notices

3. Procedures for official complaints to the Court

What is the nature of the state’s influence on marae?

A TRANSITION PHASE FROM TRADITIONAL TO MODERN

Community groups & court appointed committees

Hui & meetings Kaumatua leadership & official authority Kawa & bureaucratic procedures Consensus & majority vote decisionmaking

How do marae strengthen their rangatiratanga in light of this influence?

RESISTANCE TO EROSION OF RANGATIRATANGA

Existing marae committees The paepae and trustees committee link Community problemsolving Restricting the trustees sphere of

influence Perceived hierarchical management

structure Marae executive as a bridging committee

Stand on the back of the Turtle, our mother, and look at the land and wonder what it would have been like if Columbus would have been successful in his pursuit of India and avoided the eastern shore of this continent. Wipe your Indian hands on your Levi jeans, get into your Toyota pick-up. Throw in a tape of Mozart, Led Zeppelin or ceremonial Sioux songs; then throw your head back and laugh - you are a survivor of a colonized people. Paint what you see, sculpt what you feel, and stay amused.

George Longfish