KAPITI man Matiu Te Huki is spearheading a movement to change women’s role on marae. During powhiri – or Maori welcoming ceremonies – it is a woman who calls visitors onto the marae, and a female among the visitors who usually answers this karanga. After that, though, the men take their place at the front of the paepae and lead the formal speeches, or whaikorero, and the women sit quietly at the back.
Te Huki, Ngati Kahungunu me Rangitane ki Wairarapa, has a strong teaching background, and is currently Maori Cultural Adviser for the Wellington Kindergarten Association. As well as involvement with kapa haka and theatre – Te Huki is known as a singer-songwriter, who’s performed with the likes of Fat Freddy’s Drop, Anika Moa, Tiki Taane and Homefire Burning. Now, he’s using his voice in support of his sisters.
 “I’ve been [standing to speak] since I was a teenager, and working in health and education over the years… it was always me and some Pakeha doctor sitting in front of hundreds of powerful women... It got to the stage where I’d acknowledge while I spoke that I was just fulfilling my role for now, but that things were changing.”
Through global education enterprise Landmark Education, Te Huki did a ‘Self expression and leadership’ course – which provided the kick he needed to turn words to action.
“We were told to pick the most difficult project we could think of,” he explains.
Te Huki returned to Te Ore Ore Marae on the Ruamahanga River east of Masterton, for the first time in 20 years, to talk about developing women in the art of whaikorero.
“I went straight to one of the main kaumatua there, and he said, ‘Sorry boy, koro’s a bit too old school for that, I can’t support it, but talk to Mike’.”
Young kaumatua Mike Kawana got on board, and a meeting of key stakeholders was called in to discuss the kaupapa of Wahine Tu, or women standing.
“There were three men and the rest were women, young and old.”
Te Huki says many young women were reluctant to stray from the teachings of their ancestors, although a few older women admitted to having had to perform waikorero in the absence of men before.
“But they don’t stand in the front row… they bow their heads and feel very embarrassed – they’re not able to do it with dignity.”
A wananga, or gathering for learning, was organised, but cancelled a couple of days before.
“Only two women had put their hands up… There was still a lot of fear.”
This time last month, with Te Huki’s education project complete but his mission only just beginning, the wananga went ahead.   
“I went in all keen with my practical male way of doing things, you know, ‘Let’s learn how to do it, we’ve only got 24 hours’. The women looked at me, shook their heads, smiled… and we talked and talked. It’s really important we did that.”
On July 27, Te Oro Oro Marae will host a second wananga, this time focused on the developing new processes for women willing to speak on marae.
“Some women can remember seeing women stand on the marae, and some have heard of women round the country doing it, but they don’t know how… We don’t want women to do it like the men.”
Te Huki has a lot of support, but there are also many reacting with fear and anger.  
“There’s this feeling of, ‘who the hell are you to suggest our ancestors had it wrong?” But at the time they had it right… In the old days it was often a case of people turning up [to the marae] who weren’t so friendly, it was us over here and you over there sussing each other out, so ‘let’s get our men in front to protect our precious women; they’re making babies round here and that’s where our strength comes from.’ Nowadays our powhiri are usually in a safe, calm, peaceful environment… I’m not suggesting our ancestors were doing anything wrong, this is about keeping up with the times.”