26 Apr 2013

Consulting with Aboriginal people 'part of Maori tikanga'

8:33 pm on 26 April 2013

A Ngapuhi business lecturer in Australia says most Maori migrants embrace Aboriginal culture and are always keen to work with them and advocate for them to advance their causes.

Brent Reihana agrees with Maori historian Paul Hamer, who said that Maori who work in Aboriginal communities are highly valued by Australian authorities because they have the ability to connect with them in a way other people can't.

He says when Maori communities organise any hui that might affect the wider community, making sure they engage with the local Aboriginal people is always one of their top priorities.

Mr Reihana says Maori know that they walk on their land and usually one of the first things that they do when they organise meetings is to include the tangata whenua.

He says consultation with the local people of a particular area is something they would normally do in Aotearoa, so they follow the same tikanga - especially when they are living in someone else's country.