Day five of the Hikoi mō te Tiriti has seen double the turnout in Rotorua compared with the Tāmaki Makaurau march across the Waitematā harbour bridge.
Police estimated about 10,000 people attended despite the wet weather.
Toitu te Tiriti organiser Eru Kapa-Kingi told Te Ao Māori News the beauty of the kaupapa had remained the same since the beginning of the hīkoi.
“Ahakoa e hanga tātāngia ana mātou i te ua, tāua i te ua, e hoa, e rongo ana i te aroha, e rongo ana i taua ātaahua tonu mai anō i te timatanga o tēnei kaupapa, e ū tonu nei, Ki te tūranga ora, ki te tūranga matua ka nui te hari, ka nui te koa.
“Even though we are being struck by the rain, we, my friend, feel the love, we feel that same beauty that has been with us since the beginning of this movement, which still remains steadfast. In this place of life, in this central place, there is great joy, there is great happiness.
“Kia kaha tātou, kia ū tonu tātou, kia mana hoki tātou ki runga ki tēnei kaupapa, toitū mō te toitū te Tiriti hīkoi mō te Tiriti, koia tēnei kua tae mai, ka mutu ko tēnei kaupapa. He nui ake i te tangata kotahi, he nui ake i tētahi pepa e hoa, ko tō tātou mana tēnei, āki ake tēnei mana, otirā nō Hawaiki, nō reira puritia ki a au, kia mau, mau whiwhia, mau rawea, kia kaha tātou katoa," i mea ia.
“Let us be strong, let us remain steadfast, and let us empower ourselves in this cause, for the enduring protection of the Treaty — marching for the Treaty. This is what has arrived, and this is the cause. It is bigger than one person, it is bigger than a single piece of paper, my friend. This is our mana, it is our ancestral power, indeed from Hawaiki. Therefore, hold fast, grasp it tightly, claim it, and make it yours. Let us all be strong,” he said.
This is the second-largest gathering in Rotorua this week with Tuesday the tangihanga for Tā Robert ‘Bom’ Gillies. His photo was held by a rangatahi at the front of the march through Rotorua’s main streets.
A head of the hīkoi, Te Pāti Māori vice president Fallyn Flavell was “humbled” and “proud” of the number of tangata who showed up in support of the kaupapa.
“Today for us, it’s about mokopuna actions, we’ve made mokopuna decisions by turning up today but today is about actions. The change lies with each and every person that is standing here today.
“The change is around enrolling to vote on the Māori roll or switching from the general roll to the Māori roll.”
Although the weather was not ideal, many still showed up, participant Kristin Ross, said
“Ka nui taku harikoa, ka nui taku tau ki te kite i taku iwi Māori e whakakotahi nei, e pai nei ki runga ki te waka o Te Arawa i runga anō i te ngākau tapatahi.
“I am overjoyed and proud to see my Māori people uniting, coming together aboard the waka of Te Arawa with a sense of unity.
“Āe mārika titiro ki te nui, ki te rahi ka tae mai i te rā nei, ka rongo taku paku i te harurutanga, i te harurutanga o te waewae Māori e takahi nei te whenua.
“Indeed, I look upon the many who have arrived today, and I can feel the rumbling, the rumbling of the Māori footsteps as they tread upon the land," she said.
Rā rima of the hīkoi is the longest distance travelled for the movement going from Rotorua all the way to Hasting via Taupo.
As they inch closer to Wellington, days six and seven will include stops in Papaioea (Palmerston North) and Porirua.
Day eight will be dedicated to planning among those who have joined the cause, and on day nine, November 19, the plan will come to fruition with everyone gathering at Waitangi Park in Wellington before making their way to Parliament.