Marchers waiting in the pre-dawn mist for a dawn karakia at Te Rerenga Wairua- Cape Reinga, which launched a national hīkoi opposing the Treaty Principles Bill and government policy affecting Māori. Photo: RNZ / Peter de Graaf
From the misty peaks of Cape Reinga to the rain-soaked streets of Kawakawa, the national Hīkoi mō te Tiriti Monday rolled through the north and will soon arrive in Whangārei.
Since setting off Monday morning numbers have swelled from a couple hundred to well over 1000 people, demonstrating their opposition to the coalition government's controversial Treaty Principles Bill and other policies impacting Māori.
Hundreds gathered for a misty covered dawn karakia at Te Rerenga Wairua, the very top of the North Island, after meeting at the nearby town of Te Kāo the night before.
Among them was veteran Māori rights activist and former MP Hone Harawira. He says the hīkoi is about protesting a "blitzkreig of oppression" from the government and uplifting Māori.
Harawira praised organisers of the hīkoi and set out his own hopes for the march.
"It's been a great start to the day ... to come here to Te Rerenga Wairua with people from all around the country and just join together, have a karakia, have some waiata and start to move on. We're ready to go and Wellington is waiting - we can't keep them waiting.
"One of our kuia said it best last night. The last hīkoi built a party - the Māori Party - [but] lets make this hīkoi build a nation. Let us focus on that," Harawira said.
The national hīkoi passes through Kaitaia. Photo: Peter de Graaf
Margie Thomson and her partner James travelled from Auckland to join the hīkoi.
She said as a Pākeha, she was gutted by some of the government policies toward Māori and wanted to show support.
"The spirit of the people here is really profound ... if people could feel they would really see the reality of the kāupapa here - the togetherness. This is really something, there is a really strong Māori movement and you really feel it."
Tahlia, 10, made sure she had the best viewl, as people lined the streets as Te Hīkoi mō te Tiriti draws closer to Kawakawa, on its first day, 11 November, 2024. Photo: RNZ/ Peter de Graaf
By lunch time the hīkoi had reached Kaiatia where numbers swelled to well over 1000 people. The main street had to be closed to traffic while supporters filled the streets with flags, waiata and haka.
The hīkoi will arrive in Whangārei this evening after covering a distance of around 280 kilometres.
Kākā Porowini marae in central Whangārei will host some of the supporters and its chair, Taipari Munro, say they are prepared to care for the masses
"Hapū are able to pull those sorts of things together. But of course it will build as the hīkoi travels south.
"The various marae and places where people will be hosted, will all be under preparation now."
Hirini Tau, Hirini Henare and Mori Rapana lead the hīkoi through Kawakawa, on 11 November, 2024. Photo: RNZ/ Peter de Graaf
Three marae have been made available for people to stay at in Whangārei and some kai will also be provided, he said.
Meanwhile, the Māori Law Society has set up a phone number to provide free legal assistance to marchers taking part in the hīkoi.
Spokesperson Echo Haronga said Māori lawyers wanted to support the hīkoi in their own way.
"This helpline is a demonstration of our manaakitanga as Māori legal professionals wanting to tautoko those people who are on the hīkoi. If a question arises for them, they're not quite sure how handle it during the hīkoi then they know they can call this number they can speak to a Māori lawyer."
Ngāti Hine Health Trust staff, and others, wait to welcome Te Hīkoi mō te Tiriti, as it draws closer to Kawakawa, on its first day, 11 November, 2024. Photo: RNZ/ Peter de Graaf
Haronga stressed that she doesn't anticipate any issues or disturbances with the police and the helpline is open to any questions or concerns not just police and criminal enquiries.
"It's not actually limited to people causing a ruckus and being in trouble with the police it also could be someone who has a question... and they wouldn't know otherwise where to go to, you can also call us for that if it's in relation to hīkoi business."
Police said there were issues on the first day of the hīkoi.
Officers monitored the group of vehicles travelling through Northland, gatherings of several hundred people in Kaitaia, Kaeo, Kawakawa and Whangārei, a group of 250-300 people in Whanganui and a group of about 200 in Invercargill, with no issues reported, they said.
Police had been communicating with the organisers during the past few weeks, Superintendent Kelly Ryan said.
"We expect there will be some disruption to roads, highways, and main cities along the hīkoi route, and Police is working with NZTA, Auckland Transport, and local councils on traffic management, to help ensure public safety and minimal disruption to the community."
Meanwhile, they warned hīkoi supporters about a scam, asking for a koha to connect to a livestream on the hīkoi: "Hīkoi organisers have advised this is not a legitimate request and Police advise that people are cautious about any online requests for money from unknown entities," Ryan said.
Hīkoi supporters will stay in Whangārei on Monday night, before travelling on to Dargaville and Auckland's North Shore on Tuesday.
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