Clive Bibby: Birthright and the responsibilities associated with citizenship

Let’s get a couple of things straight!

We are all descendants of immigrants to this country - the only difference between us is the timing of our ancestors’ arrival.

For example: I am a fourth generation Kiwi descendant of English and Scottish commoners who arrived on immigrant settler ships about 1860. The transportation used to bring my ancestors to our shores was not a lot different to the original canoes that ferried the Tangata Whenua immigrants from Hawaiki centuries earlier.

My ancestors’s acceptance by local Iwi leadership as equals became a feature of their success in business from the day they arrived and proceeded to build and operate the first general store in inland Hawke’s Bay (Waipawa).

I recently had the pleasure of meeting up with an old school mate who I had not seen for almost 70 years.

His name is Jerry Hapuku - the Great-grandson of the one of Kahungunu’s most famous Paramount Chiefs - Te Hapuku, who was the Maori leader involved with the largest legitimate land purchase (The Waipukurau Purchase) by the Crown agent (Mc!ean) in the province’s history.

It is somewhat Ironic that those deals between a willing seller and a willing buyer were major factors in the sub-sequential development of the local economy - clearing the bush, introducing livestock and supportive industries to the largely farming sector as it grew.

My great grandparents’s store became a focal point for early interaction (business deals and social gatherings) between the pakeha settlers and the local tribes including those with regular visitors like Te Hapuku from his place of residence - Te Hauke, a settlement north of what is now Otane in CHB.

These visits culminated in a friendship that grew into something that became the basis for business and religious cooperation between the two ethnic groups as other settlements were established due to population growth.

The friendship established between Te Hapuku and my Great grandparents was endorsed with a gift from the Maori Chief to our family of ancient ceremonial and war clubs - some of which are pre European dated including a “Tewha Tewha” (which is now in my possession) that research suggests , could have been used in what has become known as the “Musket Wars” - a conflict solely between waring tribes that seriously reduced the Maori population by approximately 40% and which almost certainly led to the request being made to the English Monarch for the sending of troops in order to re-establish law and order.

There is no doubt in my mind that the arrival of those troops was preceded by a conditional agreement that would lead to the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi with its clauses including one that would cede sovereignty to the English Crown in exchange for the establishment of a Governing Authority overseeing law and order in the best interest of all citizens. That clause is followed by one referring to the natural resources that would remain under the control of Iwi ownership.

Both clauses have been acknowledged in tribal settlements that include compensation for Crown breaches of the Treaty since its signing.

It is disappointing that my version of what happened during that early Nation Building period in our history is not shared by those activists from both races, that are currently advocating Separatism in all its forms.

But that is another reason why we need to vote for parties in this coming election who promote peaceful coexistence between those with different views of how this Nation is governed.

The democratic process that we have chosen (with all its faults) is the only option available to us if we are to remain in control of our birthright.

Let’s use it wisely.

Clive Bibby is a commentator, consultant, farmer and community leader, who now lives in Taranaki.