Corina Shields
If you think you know me you’re wrong. I don’t fit any of your stereotypes.
A little under a month ago, I was looking at my parents unveilings. Since then I’ve found myself busier than ever, exploring new possibilities and opportunities.
The country is in political chaos and I’m here for it. This was what Māori needed, so they could see beyond the veil of what Te Pāti Māori has become. A party that has quite literally divided a nation. And not what was intended under Dame Tariana and Papa Pita.
I can’t be sure of what the future holds but what I am sure of is the changing demographic I see in my supporters now.
There are more Māori who are seeing what I’ve seen for a long time. It serves nobody any good if I do the ‘I told you so’ bit, even though there is a small part of me that feels that way.
Now is the time for conversation (with or without TPM): it’s time to regroup, not just as Māori but as a people and a nation. Our country is at risk of being lost to foreigners and foreign influence and it has been that way for far too long. But people have been so distracted by Covid and the Rainbow community that they’ve neglected to see the things going on in the shadows.
When did we start running to the United Nations instead of the marae to sort our issues? And what do you expect the UN to do? They have no legal standing when it comes to the Treaty and what it means to New Zealand. At best, they can give us an opinion we can choose to ignore or get outraged about – depending on your views.
Why have Māori decided that being Māori depends on what a government thinks of you? That’s crazy talk to me. We should all want as little government interference in our lives as possible.
People have become so used to their feelings being catered to that they’ve forgotten about the real issues we face: unemployment, housing, food security.
I don’t have all the answers but now that I’m back on TikTok, the hardest place to crack politically with Māori, I’m looking forward to the conversations that are being had and the world of possibilities I see before me.
This article was originally published on the author’s Substack.
