M9 is set to gather nine powerful Māori voices to explore Te Tiriti o Waitangi in its 6th instalment - Ka Tohe Au, Ka Tohe Au! I AM THE SOVEREIGN.
“Across the country, Te Tiriti o Waitangi has become a topic of hot debate amongst the public
and M9 has chosen to take this conversation to The Civic Theatre in March to hear the
perspectives of some of the most well known advocates and activists of Te Ao Māori.”
The kiripuaki (actors) will unveil their distinctive narratives of growing up and the unique challenges and opportunities that come with pursuing creativity within their communities.
Tickets are selling fast, get in quick to secure a seat at this empowering event.
Speaker line-up:
Pere Huriwai-Seger | Activist
Pere Huriwai-Seger is the co-founder of the activist group and liberation project ‘Aotearoa Liberation League’, which seeks to popularise themes such as and similar to decolonisation.
Dr Veronica Tawhai | Te Ata Kura Educator
Associate Professor Dr Veronica Tawhai is from Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Uepōhatu, and a mother of three living on the lands of Rangitāne in the Manawatū. She works as a Pūkenga Tiriti for the Office of the Deputy Vice Chancellor Māori at Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa / Massey University, and as a Tiriti o Waitangi educator nationally for Te Ata Kura Educators.
Tina Ngata | Advocate of indigenous rights
Tina Ngata, of Ngāti Porou, is a dedicated advocate for indigenous rights. Her work spans environmental, indigenous, and human rights advocacy, locally and internationally. In 2019, she published 'Kia Mau: Resisting Colonial Fictions' and co-founded the award-winning Manaaki Matakaoa program. Tina is now pursuing her PhD, focusing on dismantling the racist legacy of the Doctrine of Discovery in Aotearoa.
Hone Harawira | Māori Activist
Hone Harawira, a Māori activist and former MP, has dedicated his career to advocating for Te Tiriti o Waitangi, te reo Māori revitalization, and land rights. From his involvement in various movements like Ngā Tamatoa to leading parliamentary campaigns, he continues to champion indigenous causes through organizations like Te Rangi Āniwaniwa and Taitokerau Rugby League.
Eru Kapa-Kingi | Māori Constitutionalist
Eru Kapa-Kingi is a legal academic of Aupōuri and Ngāpuhi heritage, with deep passion for Māori reclamation. As a trustee for Te Aupōuri and Vice-President Tāne of Te Pāti Māori, he advocates for tangata whenua rights, emphasizing Māori sovereignty and empowerment through education.
Dayle Takitimu | Indigenous and Environmental rights advocate
Dayle Takitimu, an indigenous rights lawyer with a law degree and a Masters in Law (Hons), specializes in international environmental law. She co-leads her iwi in Treaty negotiations, spearheads indigenous strategies for self-determination, and advocates for indigenous truths through her legal practice, Taunaki Legal. Dayle's written work, including poetry anthologies, is internationally recognized, and she is currently focused on advocating for indigenous rights in climate law and policy.
Tākuta Ferris | Te Pāti Māori - Te Tai Tonga
Tākuta Ferris, a staunch advocate for Māori independence, draws inspiration from global examples like Hong Kong's exit plan from British occupation. With extensive experience in education leadership and a strong connection to whānau and marae development, he believes in reclaiming sovereignty through action. Tākuta emphasizes that this generation of Te Iwi Māori knows too much to remain idle—the time for change is now.
Mihingaarangi Forbes | Investigative Journalists
Mihingaarangi Forbes is an award-winning investigative journalist, broadcaster, and creator of the NZ Wars series. She presents RNZ's Mata Reports and political podcast Mata with Mihingaarangi. With a career spanning from the 90s, she's worked on Te Karere, Campbell Live, Native Affairs, The Hui, and RNZ. Mihingaarangi is a three-time winner of Te Tohu Kairangi - Best Journalist Māori Affairs at the Voyager Media Awards. She now heads her own production company, Aotearoa Media Collective, with collaborator Annabelle Lee-Mather.
Ella Henry | Māori Development Advocate
Professor Ella Henry brings expertise in sociology, business, and Māori Indigenous development. With over twenty years of experience, she's actively engaged in research, teaching, and advocacy for Māori media. As a Treaty Negotiator for her Iwi, Ngātikahu ki Whangaroa, and former Trustee and Chair of the Post-Settlement Governance Entity, Ella now serves as Director of Māori Advancement at the Business School, Auckland University of Technology
$2 per hour to a max of $12 on weekends and a $12 flat rate for weekday evenings at The Civic car park. Find out more.