Te Wehi Wright: Māori All Blacks cultural advisor backs TJ Perenara's haka against Italy

The cultural advisor for the Māori All Blacks says he's completely comfortable with TJ Perenara's haka.

The All Black halfback referenced the Toitū Te Tiriti movement ahead of yesterday's match against Italy.

The team also posed with the Tino Rangatiratanga flag.

Lawyer and consultant Te Wehi Wright told Mike Hosking context and the appropriateness of any political stance will always be debated regardless of the stage.

“I do think there is still a huge responsibility on us as citizens of New Zealand to keep pushing where we can the notion of unity.”

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
TJ. Piranara got the headlines on the Harker connection to
last week's protest, of course, had the backing of the
team management and officials. Marie All Blacks cultural advisor to
where he writes is with us, good morning to you,
good morning. You're getting into tricky territory here. Are you
completely comfortable with this?

Speaker 2 (00:18):
I'm completely comfortable with I think it's on the surface
it seems tricky, but I think there's a real good
story of unity here.

Speaker 1 (00:25):
So on death Share, when you say unity, unity for who.

Speaker 2 (00:30):
I think, well, it's it's probably it's a good Christian start.
I think unity for an under here's a ground. So
I think of emerging communities, both Maori and non Maori,
that are really working hard to try and showcase. I
think the beautiful country that's truly reflective of our unique

(00:52):
cultural identity, which is no longer exclusively Maori, but it
is uniquely So I think that's what I'm I'm talking about,
and our refuge to unity.

Speaker 1 (01:01):
So is that the role of an All Black ahead
of a Test match or not?

Speaker 2 (01:08):
I think it's a responsibility for all citizens of altad
Wall to keep pushing where they can. That notion of unity.
I mean context is always going to be debated, I think,
and the appropriateness I think of any political stance or
any stance in particular, regardless of the stage. But I

(01:29):
do think there is still a huge responsibility or on
us as citizens of New Zealand to keep pushing where
we can that notion of unity.

Speaker 1 (01:36):
But when you say unity tenoring a terror tung, it
is self determination, which is not unity. It's your own
course and way, isn't it.

Speaker 2 (01:44):
I think if you're pointing into the individualistic perception of
anger tuatang, which is something that we're seen perpetuated when
it comes to the Treaty Principles Bill. I mean it
can be easily read like that, but I think you know,
rang tang has to be seen the context of the collective.
And I think when we're moving into that kind of
notion we're saying, it's almost as if you're saying it's

(02:06):
either unity or to as this they can't sit together.
And I think that's probably where the context of this
stem becomes really important, because it's about showcasing the beauty
of both of all the cultures, but particularly the two
main parties. To tender to your white thing and how
we connect you work together to shape unity, residing in

(02:26):
MARII as a collective approach to determination, but also we
can still exist together. And how many and alta are right.

Speaker 1 (02:36):
I appreciate it Tim very much to where he right.
Who's lawyer consultant, Murray all Black circultural advisor. But of
course when we talk about that, as we did, and
I'm more than happy to talk about it, we're not
talking about the game. And in that I think lie
is probably part of the problem, isn't it. Good Morning
Mike TJ might think he's clever pushing his own narrative
during the all Blacks Harker, but don't hinder risk underestimate
the damage he's done to the brain with the average

(02:56):
New Zealand or the ab should never never be used
to push per political beliefs. For more from the Mic
Asking Breakfast, listen live to News Talks at b from
six am weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.