Pacific leaders read the signals from Waitangi after tense Māori and Crown discussions

Pacific leaders say events at Waitangi last Friday are being closely watched across the region as Māori-Crown relations face a growing strain and raise wider questions about how indigenous partnerships are treated.

Aupito William Sio, chair of the Council of Chiefs and former MP, attended Waitangi with the Kiingitanga delegation accompanying the Māori Queen, Te Arikinui Kuini Nga Wai hono i te po.

He said the mood among Māori leaders was serious and focussed on the year ahead.

Speaking with William Terite on Pacific Mornings, Aupito described an atmosphere shaped by concern and planning especially with a general election approaching.

“I thought it was quite sombre, very controlled,” he says. “A lot of it was, ‘What do we do now in this election year? How do we unite ourselves?’

“You had Māori from right across the motu (island) turn up solely to have that discussion, and I understand it because, from a Sāmoan perspective, on significant occasions in history, you do need all the chiefs to come together and unite around discussing a strategy for the future.”

Political tensions were visible during Waitangi Day events, with senior Government figures heckled during speeches.

Aupito said emotions were high but most people showed restraint and this reflected the depth of frustration felt by many Māori.

“There were people on the outskirts who just could not contain their emotion, and you have to appreciate that Māori themselves were feeling quite down, feeling, in Tuku Morgan’s words, that this is the worst that Māori-Crown relationships have ever been.

Flags and political messages on display at Waitangi. Photo/PMN News

“Despite the political rhetoric and the way politicians behave from year to year, the issues that the Pacific, as well as Māoridom, face are climate change, economic development, and the survival of our languages and cultures and how they thrive throughout the years, and particularly for the next generation.”

Those shared concerns were echoed by Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown, who described Waitangi as a moment for “reflection on partnership, responsibility, and the care required to sustain relationships over time”.

“From the Cook Islands, we recognise the deep connections that bind our peoples across Te Moana-nui-o-Kiva,” Brown said in a social media post.

“These ties are carried by families, communities, and shared histories, and they continue to shape how we walk together today.”

Shared Pacific concerns

Alongside Waitangi events, a public forum on climate change brought together researchers, marine scientists, and representatives from Hawai’i, Niue, Rapa Nui, and the Cook Islands.

Solomon Pili Kaho’ohalahala, a former Hawai’i politician and respected elder, told RNZ the conversations at Waitangi carried importance well beyond the present moment and spoke directly to the future.

"We are talking about historical events that have happened to our people across Oceania, preserved by the elders who had visions to create treaties … decisions that were going to be impactful to the generations to follow,” he said.

“It brings the relevance of these conversations; they are what we need to negotiate and navigate the challenges we face in the present.”

Ngā hoia o Ngāpuhi - warriors who performed the pōhiri to politicians. Photo/PMN News

Aupito said Pacific leaders, both traditional and political, were closely aware of how Māori-Crown relations were unfolding.

“Oftentimes, they said, ‘Hey, if that’s how they treat their indigenous people, what does this government really think of us?”

As the Waitangi commemorations conclude, Pacific leaders say the conversations in Aotearoa will continue to shape trust, partnership, and the future of indigenous relationships across the region.

Listen to Aupito William Sio's full interview below.