Hīkoi mō te Tiriti, the national protest in opposition to the ACT’s Treaty Principles Bill, is over. But many will go on to continue to stand up for what they believe, including Ashburton’s Tk Paul.
As Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is scheduled to visit Ashburton tomorrow, Paul is inviting anyone who would like to join him and others outside the Regent Cinema on Wills St at 11am.
The PM will be talking to farmers at the neighbouring Ashburton Event Centre noon to 2pm, at a meeting organised by Federated Farmers.
Paul said the group would be a quiet and peaceful one, standing together in public to make their views known.
Supporters would be coming from around Canterbury holding signs and carrying flags, not with the aim of interrupting proceedings but simply to get across their message.
‘‘We aren’t wanting to cause an issue, we simply want to peacefully and quietly be present. We aren’t aiming to speak to Mr Luxon,’’ Paul said.
The gathering would perform the haka Toia Mai Te Waka, which means to symbolically pull the ‘‘canoe’’ of the visitors safely on to the marae.
While Luxon had said the National Party would not be supporting the Bill past its first reading, Paul said it was still important the Prime Minister was aware of the strength of feeling about the issue.
‘‘He is in charge of the country, and so we want him to know that collectively many of the country are united in regards to the Bill,’’ Paul said.
‘‘Just because the hīkoi is over, it’s not finished for us,’’ Paul said.
‘‘We are still here, we are still standing together and we will continue to be on view,’’ he said.
‘‘A great example of this is All Blacks TJ Perenara’s haka tribute to the Treaty protest at the weekend. I was super proud of him using his position to make a stand,’’ Paul said.
‘‘When something important to us like the Treaty or Treaty principles are under threat, it hurts. Any threat to things we hold dear means we get defensive; we stand strong for our mokopuna and what changes to the Treaty might mean for them.’’
He said it had been an emotional moment to witness the protests around Aotearoa and the final day of the hīkoi, when a huge crowd of more than 40,000 people gathered at Parliament.
– Those wanting to join the gathering can meet outside the Regent Cinema in Wills St 11am tomorrow.
