Teanau Tuiono and Tino Rangatiratanga

Teanau Tuiono and his group Te Tino Toa, have created a media stir over their threat to raise the "Maori flag" on Auckland Harbour Bridge this coming Waitangi Day.


It should be made clear that the "Tino Rangatiratanga" flag, is not the "Maori" flag, it is the Maori REVOLUTIONARY flag.

It is to NZ and to moderate Maoridom, what the Hammer and Sickle was to Russia.

Tuiono and his comrades plan to milk this publicity all they can.

From Indymedia

Spokesperson for Te Tino Toa, Teanau Tuiono said 'its nothing new for indigenous peoples to be ignored and our aspiration stifled by the Government and their agencies -that has never stopped us'.

'This Waitangi Day we are calling for all people to fly the Tino Rangatiratanga flag wherever they are to show their support for indigenous rights here in Aotearoa'

'Indigenous brothers and sisters from the Aboriginals to the Navajos have said they will fly the Tino Rangatiratanga flag in solidarity'

'The flag symbolises the struggle for Maori self-determination and embodies the hopes we have for future generations as a thriving indigenous nation'

'We have received wide support from Maori and non-Maori organisations across the country including schools, environmental organisations and Pakeha New Zealander's.'

'Aotearoa is in a state of change and mainstream New Zealand is ready to acknowledge indigenous rights, that is the challenge that is currently before the Government."

Tuiono is one of a new generation of Maori activists. Steeped in "National Question" politics, their agenda is to promote Maori Sovereignty as a means to promote "anti-capitalist" change.


During the mid '90s Tuiono was;

...one of the founding members of the urban Maori organisation, Te Kawau Maro. This organisation attacked the neo-liberal Government policies, advocated direct action against land sales and unjust land settlements through occupations and other strategies and disseminated information to Maori communities about what is now known as the 'fiscal envelope.

In 1996, Tuiono was a 21 year old student at Auckland University. He stood for Parliament on the ultra-radical Mana Maori Party list. He was active in the university's Nga Tauira Maori (maori students association) and joined with Marxist radicals in the occupation of the university's registry building.

In September 2000 Tuiono issued a press release protesting the NZ/Singapore Free Trade deal, on behalf of Maori "sovereignty group "Tino Rangatiratanga"

"Prague Style Protests to Hit Aotearoa if Singapore Deal Continues"

Tino Rangatiratanga advocates attending the Prague anti-World Bank, anti-IMF protest say that New Zealand will face the same types of action if the Government pursues the Singapore Trade deal. The Aotearoa delegation is in Prague as part of the People's Global Action group (PGA), a coalition of activists from around the world. The PGA meeting will coincide with that of the IMF/World Bank annual meeting.
"The fight against globalisation and neoliberalism is the continuing struggle against colonisation, and like our ancestors before us we will resist!" said South Pacific Convenor Teanau Tuiono

The other contacts for this release were:

Tauni Sinclair-an Auckland University radical who planned to travel to Cuba in January 1997 for a "political training camp"(Craccum 13,1996).

Maria Bargh-now a Maori Studies lecturer at Victoria University. She has written for "Struggle", the journal of the pro-Beijing, Organisation for Marxist Unity.

Helen Te Hira-a leading member of the neo-Maoist, Auckland University Radical Society.

In 2001, Tuiono attended the first International Youth Summit.

Their aim: to build a network of global youth resistance and create a manifesto of demands for action from the official adult handwringers at the United Nations World Conference Against Racism (WCAR).

Many young attendees lambasted U.S. support of the Israeli occupation, the country's dominance over the WTO and IMF, and its support of repressive regimes.

Teanau Tuiono, a young Maori man who is part of the international People's Global Action Network, added, "We have to talk about the economic situation because often it's the working-class whites in New Zealand who lose their jobs and take it out on us. I say, 'Hey man, we're not the one who privatized all the industries.' "

In 2002, Tuiono was a Facilitator and Wellington contact for the Activism In Aoteroa gathering in Wainuiomata. Organised members of Radical Society and Peace Movement Aotearoa, these events were designed to bring Marxists, peaceniks and Maori radicals together for training and information sharing.

In September 2003, Tuiono and Helen Te Hira addressed a mini-conference on alternatives to the World Trade Organisation in Wellington, "against the WTO and its free trade policies".

Clearly Mr Tuiono is pretty radical activist. Maybe its time he grew up and "flagged it all away".