Dr Moana Jackson’s fight for constitutional change will continue

One of NZ’s great scholars, Jackson lifted the lid on institutional racism in the criminal justice system.

The tangihanga of Dr Moana Jackson, one of New Zealand's greatest legal scholars, is drawing to an end.

But the next generation of activists, lawyers, and social justice advocates he inspired say his fight for constitutional change will go on.

"When I was a law student, I remember pouring over his texts and seeing things I hadn't seen before in my legal studies," Wellington lawyer Abby Hauraki said.

"Te ao Māori, tikanga Māori and a reminder that we had legal systems in place that suited and catered to our people... He was a soft, gentle reminder that we're well equipped within our own ways of doing to take care of our people."

Leaders from every corner of te ao Māori have been pouring into Matahiwi Marae in Hastings this week to mourn the man who changed their lives.

"He's one of our sons, our cousins, our older brother, our younger brother, he's normal amongst us. But when he's outside of the rohe, he's like Māui, he's a transformer and he transformed a whole lot of things," said Ngāti Kahungunu leader Ngahiwi Tomoana.

Many who gathered remembered Moana Jackson's contribution to New Zealand's criminal justice system, including his landmark 1988 report He Whaipaanga Hou, which lifted the lid on institutional racism.

"He exposed it in every corner, in every walk of life. He exposed it in every profession. He promoted it on every marae, because some of the biggest colonisers were ourselves," Ngahiwi Tomoana said.

His influence on policing was also commended.

"His contribution to policing in this country is significant," Deputy Police Commissioner Wally Haumaha said.

"He was the patron of one of our police wings back in 2007 and he brought that whole team through with the understanding of fairness, equality, and what the treaty meant."

The words 'humble' and 'gentle' were prominent in almost every tribute.

"One of the things that was so important about Moana, especially for me as a tāne Māori, is the example that he showed of how to be a tāne Māori, how to respect everyone. He taught me that you didn't need to be the loudest voice in the room in order to be the strongest voice," Treaty expert Dr Carwyn Jones said.

It was a sentiment Victoria University student, Safari Hynes, shared.

"He was the model for me on how to be humble," he said.

"He was quietly spoken and he didn't need to yell. He didn't need to tell other people to be quiet. He waited his turn. There was always a really deep kōrero behind his words.

"I think the most beautiful thing that he ever did was that he never gave you the answer to your question. Instead, he led you to the answer by making you think."

The people of Ngāti Kahungunu and indeed Aotearoa has lost one of its very brightest.

But there's hope his legacy will live on, as the next generation carries his fight.

"He really lived up to his name Te Moana Nui a Kiwa because I truly believe that he turned the tides for us as Māori legal specialists," said Abby Hauraki.

The final karakia for Moana Jackson's tangihanga will take place at the marae on Sunday, before he is buried next to his mum and whānau.

SHARE ME

More Stories