Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Horomia wants his people to consider women on the pae

Updated at 7:06 am on 27 July 2012

Former Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia is encouraging his people to consider allowing their women to speak alongside men on the pae (orator's bench) on the marae.

This week is Maori Language week, which runs until Sunday.

Mr Horomia wants Te Aitanga a Hauiti to consider the proposition.

The tribe's women can speak, when they feel they have to.

An example might be to interrupt a speaker on the pae if the korero strays too far from the kaupapa.

Parekura Horomia says nowadays - when he goes to hui and tangi - there is no one to welcome people to the marae, and on the visitors' side no one to talk for them.

He says allowing a non-Maori man the right to speak over a woman, who's fluent in te reo is rubbish.

Mr Horomia says he's raising the idea because he wants his iwi to consider how their marae may look 15 years from now.

Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand