Ko tangata tiriti te iwi. I am a person of the Treaty.
Te Tiriti o Waitangi enabled my ancestors to come to this country, to make it their home. Some fled racial and religious intolerance, others were seeking an opportunity for a new start. Generations later I believe they would still want us to strive for the freedoms and opportunities they came here for.
For their sake and future generations, we must honour the Treaty.
We can do that by understanding it better, by acknowledging failures to uphold it, and doing what we can to realise the vision it promises.
Some of this is hard, requiring us to acknowledge that we (directly or indirectly) have not lived up to the promises made in 1840. We can't change the past, but we can (and must) learn from it.
I'm not an expert and continue to learn everyday. Sometimes it's uncomfortable, but it's always rewarding.
What I do know is that Te Tiriti o Waitangi (written in Te Reo Māori) was the version that most (although not all) iwi and hapū signed. Some of the concepts and words used don't easily translate into English, which some people find confusing and difficult to understand. It also means the English version has some significant differences, especially in regard to Māori sovereignty (tino rangatiratanga). In my experience, the best way to resolve differences in understanding is to first listen, with empathy and respect.
While I appreciate that there is a desire to clarify the principles, the Government's bill isn't the way forward. It's an expensive, doomed process that is causing more hurt.
Despite the challenges (real or perceived), Te Tiriti o Waitangi is the founding document of our nation and must be respected.
Toitū te Tiriti. Honour the Treaty.