By sheer chance, I was on a marae in the North Island of Aotearoa when the New Zealand election results were coming through last year. I was attending a gathering of Māori educators and unionists taking part in some cross-Tasman exchange, and during a meal break the television was on to witness where the chips fell.
The atmosphere among the whanau was tense. Some were over the moon that the Māori party had gained seats and felt this provided a needed sliver of hope in what was otherwise a concerning conservative turn. Many people expressed a fear of the mainstreaming agendas of the National party, the libertarian Act party and populist party New Zealand First, including what impacts these may have on Māori language and cultural practices, and, in particular, whether such a coalition government would adhere to any obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi at all.
