It's the same thing, because when you look after, or manaki, others you are acknowledging the mana they have, and their actions, in turn, acknowledge the mana you have. There is mana and then there is the word manaki, which is to care for or look after. 'But we have a different view on power I guess, that the more you share, the more you have. She said she understood there was fear in the community about Māori in positions of power.

Things like housing, particularly Māori housing.' 'Using the platform that I now have as councillor, I can come at the issues from a different place. But I'm still within arm's reach to be a supporter of other spaces that I've been working in for a long time. 'I have to ensure that I can give justice to the role by making sure that I'm not too overloaded. It's still a beginning, it's not the end-all.'Īs someone who already keeps busy with seats on a range of committees and boards, she said she would likely need to relinquish many of these 'so I can give my commitment to the role'. If I thought I was working before, I know I'm going to be working more now. However, she said winning the election was only the beginning of her mahi. People know that he's good at what he does, so they feel secure that he can do that role.' I've had a lot of people say, 'you've done the work, you deserve to have that role'. 'I'm relieved because I know how much work goes into a campaign and grateful that our Māori communities know what work I have done to be a strong enough candidate that others didn't necessarily want to stand against me. She said she felt relief and gratitude to have won her Kāpū Te Rangi Māori Ward seat unopposed.

This is all part of that journey to realise that ability for us to have that voice. Because back then there was one law for Pākehā and one law for Māori. He created it as a reminder to the Crown that the law needs to apply to one people as it does to the other. 'At the end I unravelled the flag, which says, 'Kotahi te ture, mo nga iwi e rua, One law for two people'. When Boynton gave a presentation at the council for Māori wards, she took a replica of her great great grandfather's flag. The first time I raised the issue of Māori wards was at his marae.' Rua Kenana is someone who is always in our lives, all the time. 'My marae is where he lies, where his house is, and I've been brought up with him and his teachings all my life. Meanwhile, Whakatāne District Council has its first Māori ward councillor in Toni Boynton, who has also been elected unopposed in the Kāpū Te Rangi Māori ward.įor Boynton, her seat at the district council table is a step toward equality for Māori echoing the campaign launched by her great great grandfather, Rua Kenana, omore than 100 years ago.īoynton has been at the forefront of campaigning for Māori wards to be instated at Whakatāne District Council.Ī lot of the inspiration for that battle came from growing up surrounded by the teachings of the Tūhoe prophet and activist, from whom she is descended, she said. Toi Iti, who has the endorsement of the Māori Party, has been re-elected unopposed as the Kohi ward councillor for Bay of Plenty Regional Council. Photo: Supplied via LDRįaylene Tunui, who has served two terms as a Kawerau district councillor and is currently deputy mayor, has been elected unopposed as the new mayor of her district. Toni Boynton, now adorned with moko kauae, will still be appearing on billboards despite no one standing in opposition to her.

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