‘They are our cousins, our brothers and sisters’

“Māori, tangata whenua are no different to us,” a leader from the Solomon Islands community, who led the group at Tuesday’s Koroneihana, says.

Despite only leading a group of four people, President of the Solomon Islands Auckland Wantok Association, Florie Dausabea, said it was important to show solidarity.

“Our Melanesian community here in Aotearoa is a small community. Our biggest one is Fiji but if we're looking at the other Melanesian countries like Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and Papua New Guinea, we are smaller in numbers, so often we tend to keep to ourselves.

“And so an opportunity like this is very important because we participate with the wider Pacific community here in Aotearoa.”

Tuesday’s festival also saw Pacific dignitaries and royalty converge on Turangawaewae marae in Ngāruawāhia to mark 18 years since Māori King, Kiingi Tūheitia’s coronation.

The King and Queen of Tonga were there too along with members of the House of Ariki.

It was the first time the Kiingitanga had invited the Pasifika communities of Aotearoa to a hui, a connection Dausabea said needed to continue.

“I think back to the advice that my great-grandfather gave who was a banara or high chief from Marovo. He explained that your land is an important and integral part of your identity and who you are as a person.

“We are our custodians and it is never to be sold or given. And so it is important for us to protect it so that we can pass it on to the future generations who will be the new custodians.

“We live here in New Zealand and we need to show solidarity with tangata whenua.”

Dausabea also highlighted the important historical links between the Solomons and New Zealand.

“Our people have a long history with Aotearoa. Back to the 1900s with the introduction of Christianity, a lot of our missionaries are trained in Kohimarama, which is near Mission Bay.

“A lot of them lived here for many years and have passed and are buried down in St. John's. Now coming fast forward, sort of more in the modern future, a lot of our Solomon Islands people, if I speak specifically for my own family, our kids now whakapapa to tangata whenua especially to Waikato Tainui and Ngapuhi and through marriage.”