Abstract
The New Zealand government has been globally praised for its response to Covid-19. Despite the global accolades, little attention has been given to the swift and innovative Māori response to Covid-19. This paper will detail some of this rapid Māori response to Covid-19 in Aotearoa New Zealand and argue the response can be understood as key examples of Māori exercising tino rangatiratanga (self-determination), independent of the government’s measures and policies. We suggest that this exploration of tino rangatiratanga during Covid-19 demonstrates central aspects of Māori well-being that move beyond a government focus on statistics as the key measure of well-being and how tikanga Māori (Māori values) are being used to develop successful responses to the global pandemic.
Highlights
Like many people and places around the world, 2020 has required significant changes to the way we work, socialise and carry out our day to day lives due to the ongoing impacts of Covid-19
The Maori responses to Covid-19 demonstrate numerous ways through which Maori expressed tino rangatiratanga directed at protecting and supporting local communities that happened irrespective of the actions being taken by the New Zealand government. These actions show how tino rangatiratanga is enacted as independent Maori decision-making. We suggest that this independent decision-making and the exercise of tino rangatiratanga was partially made possible through adherence and respect of tikanga Maori
Tikanga confirm the responsibilities that Maori have to one another as a basis for action. While it is beyond the scope of this article to flesh out the numerous different tikanga within a Maori worldview, we suggest that part of how tino rangatiratanga was exercised during the Covid-19 response was through Maori drawing guidance and responsibilities from tikanga Maori
Summary
The New Zealand government has been globally praised for its response to Covid-19. This paper will detail some of this rapid Maori response to Covid-19 in Aotearoa New Zealand and argue the response can be understood as key examples of Maori exercising tino rangatiratanga (self-determination), independent of the government’s measures and policies. We suggest that this exploration of tino rangatiratanga during Covid-19 demonstrates central aspects of Maori well-being that move beyond a government focus on statistics as the key measure of well-being and how tikanga Maori (Maori values) are being used to develop successful responses to the global pandemic
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