Nga Tauira: Hikoi ki Te Whare Paremata

He aha te mea nui o te ao? – He tangata, he tangata, he tangata!

Close to 300 students marched from Te Herenga Waka marae to parliament in support of the Manaaki Tonu Te Tauira campaign. The government announced to cut the Manaaki Tauira grant which is a grant for Maori tertiary students earlier this year. Manaaki Tauira currently provides financial assistance to over 9,000 Māori students per year. Students have been coming to Wellington for the last few days for the conference of Te Mana Ākonga (National Māori Tertiary Students' Association) to talk about Māori education and to build resistance against the government's decision.

24.5.06 - Te Mana Akonga distraught at Budget cuts and hui TONIGHT
23.8.06 - Maori Tertiary Students Hikoi to Parliament

At parliament, speeches were made by students from all around the motu. There were students from polytechs and universities. Some pakeha supporters were in the crowd too. Submissions from students were received by Labour MP Shane Jones. Hone Harawira from the Māori Party told the protesters students have to go away from the protest and really start organising. He thought that students are only radicals while they are students which is somewhat ironic seeing where he ended up. Harawira did say however that not much change comes from within parliament and that he will quit after 6 years in the house.

In May this year, around 100 students from Ngai Tauira sat in parliament when the budget cuts were announced.

About Maanaki Tauira

“Manaaki Tonu Te Tauira is a message to government to nurture the potential of Māori students, and thereby the development of our whānau, hapū and iwi, through tertiary education” says Veronica Tawhai, Kaitūhono of Te Mana Ākonga, the National Māori Tertiary Students Association. “This message comes in response to recent changes in the tertiary sector that we feel threatens that potential”.

“Specifically, Māori students are concerned over the quality and relevance reviews, and are angered over the withdrawal of Māori achievement support funding to providers, and the abolishment of financial aid to Māori students such as the Manaaki Tauira grant”.

“We are also outraged over government’s support of the Deletion of the Treaty of Waitangi Principles Bill. Support of it’s ‘first reading only’ is still support, plain and simple, and a clear message to Māori students that our needs go out the door for the sake of keeping in power.”