Ahead of the hīkoi crossing the Habour Bridge, actress Te Raunatia Reweti said the hīkoi kaupapa was “massively important”.
“I feel like so many times we look at our tīpuna and go ‘oh my gosh I wish that I could be change-makers like them’ - and it’s happening right now.
“We are living tīpuna, so it just speaks to the weight of what is currently going on in this climate, and it’s just essential that Māori are seen and heard and our best form of resistance is being Māori.”
Reweti also mentioned it was important for rangatahi to get involved to be seen and feel heard.
“It‘s massive to know you’re not alone in this motu and I feel like for generations there has always been this shame associated with being Māori.
“I feel like for the rangatahi today to be here and be present it just says a lot for the generations to come.”
Alongside many others in the hīkoi, the actress is going to travel all the way down to Parliament.
“I have friends that work in Parliament and the wairua in that place, they always say it weighs heavy on their heart.
“So the best thing I feel like I can do for my whānau and for my friends is to be there and be present and witness history in the making.”
Numbers continued to rise as the hīkoi picked up momentum before crossing the harbour bridge.
Te Ao Māori News reporters on the ground said more than 2000 people were expected at Stafford Park on Auckland’s North Shore.
Auckland Transport warned commuters to expect “significant” disruption for rā tuatoru of te Hīkoi mō te Tiriti.
Last night, Toitū Te Tiriti leaders warned supporters the hīkoi over the bridge might take hours to complete given the five-kilometre journey from Onepoto Domain to the Erin Point offramp south of the bridge.
