STRATEGIES OF
RESISTANCE TO STATE
INFLUENCE IN MARAE
MANAGEMENT
Reconciling Tensions
Between Community SelfDetermination And
State Authority
What is the nature of the
state’s influence on marae?
How do marae strengthen
their rangatiratanga in light of
this influence?
STATE AUTHORITY
STATE LEGISLATION
MAORI LAND COURT
TRUSTEES
MARAE
COMMUNITY AUTHORITY
THE COMMUNITY
MARAE COMMITTEE
EXECUTIVE
TWO AUTHORITIES FOR
MARAE
STATE LEGISLATION
THE COMMUNITY
MAORI LAND COURT
MARAE COMMITTEE
TRUSTEES
MARAE
EXECUTIVE
SOME DEFINITIONS OF MARAE







Physical complex
Complex with a meeting house and marae atea
Community gathering place
Place for cultural expression
Community centre
Village
Sanctuary
A MARAE IS
A SYMBOLIC OR PHYSICAL
HOME FOR A
KIN-BASED GROUP
Whare
Community
Land
NATIONAL SURVEY OF MARAE
1997

1031 active marae identified nationwide

877 participated in the survey

72% registered under Te Ture Whenua
(Maori Land) Act
A MAORI RESERVATION IS …




A block of land …
Held in trust …
For a specific purpose (eg marae) …
For the benefit of a specified group of
people (eg a named hapu or iwi)
LEGISLATION FOR
RESERVATIONS

Te Ture Whenua Maori Act 1993

Maori Reservations Regulations 1994
Administered by the Maori Land Court
MAORI RESERVATIONS
marae
church site
recreation
ground
sports ground
fishing ground
bathing place
village site
meeting place
landing place
building site
catchment
area or other
source of
water supply
burial ground
spring
well
timber reserve
place of cultural, for any other
historical, or
specified
scenic interest
purpose
MAIN MANAGEMENT GROUPS

Of the 877 marae surveyed

44% had a current trustees committee
54% had a marae committee

MARAE COMMITTEE
COMPRISES …
Members of the marae community and
the marae executive
who are at the marae committee hui
FUNCTION OF THE MARAE
COMMITTEE




Day-to-day care of the marae
Administration
Wider community involvement
Development project planning
COMMITTEE AUTHORITY
MARAE COMMITTEE





Community
membership
Hui
Kaumatua
Kawa
Consensus
decisionmaking
TRUSTEES




Court appointed
Hierarchy of authority
Fixed duties
governed by rules
Authority to give
commands
OPTIONS FOR RECONCILING
AUTHORITY
1. Replace the marae committee with the
trustees committee
2. Make a version of the marae committee
a sub-committee of the trustees
RETAINING RANGATIRATANGA

Link trustees committee to the paepae
RETAINING RANGATIRATANGA


Link trustees committee to the paepae
The community handles problems
REINFORCING
RANGATIRATANGA


Link trustees committee to the paepae
The community handles problems
REINFORCING
RANGATIRATANGA



Link trustees committee to the paepae
The community handles problems
Restrict trustees sphere of influence
REINFORCING
RANGATIRATANGA




Link trustees committee to the paepae
The community handles problems
Restrict trustees sphere of influence
Trustees and marae committee have a
perceived hierarchical role
REINFORCING
RANGATIRATANGA





Link trustees committee to the paepae
The community handles problems
Restrict trustees sphere of influence
Trustees and marae committee have a
perceived hierarchical role
Use marae executive as a bridging
committee
TRUSTEES’ POWERS




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Authorize activities
Issue permits
Call administration meetings
Make appointments and employ advisers
Apply to the Court for directions
AUTHORIZATION PROCESS
FOR ACTIVITIES
TRUSTEES

1.
2.
A formal process of:
Written applications
Meeting to
grant/decline
MARAE COMMITTEE

Logistical
consideration at
marae committee hui
RECONCILIATION: The marae committee
approves activities; the trustees can access the
marae committee’s records.
ORGANIZING MEETINGS
TRUSTEES

Held when necessary

Requires a quorum

Decision by majority
vote of trustees

Record in minute book
MARAE COMMITTEE




Held monthly
Proceeds with whoever is
in attendance
Decisions by consensus
Record in minute book
RECONCILIATION: Each committee holds separate
meetings with trustees meetings following the regulations.
Each handles different issues.
APPOINTMENTS
TRUSTEES


Formal process not
required
Decisions by
majority vote
MARAE COMMITTEE


Nominations process
Election process for
trustees and
executive
RECONCILIATION: The marae committee appoints
administrative officials based on a three-year term of office
and using AGM procedures set out in the Regulations.
HIERARCHY OF AUTHORITY
Marae Community
Marae Committee
Marae Executive
Trustees
Maori Land Court
HIERARCHY OF AUTHORITY
Maori Land Court
Trustees
Marae Committee
Marae Executive
Marae Community
OTHER RESERVATIONS
REGULATIONS
1.
2.
3.
Prepare a charter
Display permanent notices
Procedures for official complaints to the
Court
OTHER RESERVATIONS
REGULATIONS
1.
Prepare a charter
2.
Display permanent notices
3.
Procedures for official complaints to the
Court
OTHER RESERVATIONS
REGULATIONS
1.
Prepare a charter
2.
Display permanent notices
Procedures for official complaints to the
Court
3.
OTHER RESERVATIONS
REGULATIONS
1.
2.
3.
Prepare a charter
Display permanent notices
Procedures for official
complaints to the Court
What is the nature of the
state’s influence on marae?
A TRANSITION PHASE FROM
TRADITIONAL TO MODERN





Community groups & court appointed
committees
Hui & meetings
Kaumatua leadership & official authority
Kawa & bureaucratic procedures
Consensus & majority vote decisionmaking
How do marae strengthen
their rangatiratanga in light of
this influence?
RESISTANCE TO EROSION OF
RANGATIRATANGA






Existing marae committees
The paepae and trustees committee link
Community problemsolving
Restricting the trustees sphere of
influence
Perceived hierarchical management
structure
Marae executive as a bridging committee
Stand on the back of the Turtle, our mother, and
look at the land and wonder what it would have
been like if Columbus would have been
successful in his pursuit of India and avoided
the eastern shore of this continent. Wipe your
Indian hands on your Levi jeans, get into your
Toyota pick-up. Throw in a tape of Mozart, Led
Zeppelin or ceremonial Sioux songs; then throw
your head back and laugh - you are a survivor
of a colonized people. Paint what you see,
sculpt what you feel, and stay amused.
George Longfish