Noel O'Malley travelled on his own from Balclutha to join the Hīkoi mō te Tiriti. Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon
He may look like your average Joe from South Otago - but his name isn't Joe. It's Noel O'Malley and he's proud to be tangata Tiriti.
This week, O'Malley travelled on his own from Balclutha to Christchurch, and then on to Picton to attend the Hīkoi mō te Tiriti.
He rocked up to the 'Carkoi' departing Tuahiwi Marae at the break of dawn, unsure whether he would cross to Wellington after being unable to secure a ferry ticket. But he had faith, and boarded the Interislander with the first ropū.
That was when he was claimed by organisers as their own.
He is now known as Papa Noel by some, and Matua Noel by others.
He told RNZ a lot of people would be questioning why he drove the length of the South Island for the kaupapa.
"It's necessary. It's very important," he said.
In Balclutha - a town with just over 4000 people - the presence of Māori was very minimal, he said.
"It's not as real down there. There's not the Māori population and it's probably a bit removed from what's going on.
"Although people do see it on the news, but no, it's not the same intensity we have [on the southern part of the hīkoi]."
Noel O'Malley boarded the Interislander with the first ropū. Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon
As a Pākehā man born in the late 1940s, he had strong views on the ACT Party's controversial Treaty Principles Bill, he said.
"The arguments put forward to support this legislation are faulty, completely faulty.
"What's being put down is unacceptable, completely unacceptable. It's not backed by any sound evidence and is destructive on our community and a great shame on this government for doing what they're doing."
The bill was causing hurt, he said.
"I see that there's a lot of unfinished business in terms of the promises that were entered into in 1835 and 1840. The declaration which recognised New Zealand Māori as a sovereign state, and then the Treaty. It's simply a falsity to say that Māori ceded sovereignty. They did not.
"I think that the attempts that are going on now to start afresh is simply opening very deep wounds and there's no place for it in society."
After a long history of work in the legal sector, O'Malley's most recent achievement was completing his master's degree in peace and conflict studies this year at the age of 76.
"I've ... found a lot of information on New Zealand's history, its racial history, and learned things that I hadn't been exposed to before.
"I've done a lot of reading and a lot of research into our early history, and the injustices that occurred then are being continued in our society today. So, the inequality that's there is real. And there's no point in talking about people being equal until they have an equal base to start from."
Parihaka by George Clarendon Beale, 1881. Photo: Public Domain
Embarrassed by his lack of knowledge of Aotearoa history, including the 1881 Parihaka invasion, he turned his mamae into action. The Treaty Principles Bill's date change was announced on Parihaka day, 5 November.
"It was something I promised myself, but perhaps more pleasing than anything is the support that I've had from my immediate family. They are very, very supportive and very proud of what's been done, and I think it's a good path for them to follow and think about."
O'Malley has six children and 14 mokopuna.
He said he was proud of those who did the hīkoi.
"I'm very proud to support them."
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