Toitū Te Tiriti

The trojan horse for Te Pāti Māori’s political agenda

I had no intention of wasting time on the Aotearoa Music Awards. These shows have become nothing more than a woke circus, constantly pushing woke bullshit instead of celebrating actual musical talent. When Minister Chris Bishop called Stan Walker’s performance “a load of crap,” the reaction on my X timeline was impossible to ignore. So I watched the video for myself.

And you know what? Bishop was right. It was a load of crap.

What I saw wasn’t art. It was as chaotic as a Kaikohe ATM on benefit payment night. Shirtless men in flax skirts running wild, women flailing their arms looking like they’re having an epileptic fit, and doing that big-eye expression that gives off the vibe they’ve been on meth for the last three days. Well, maybe they actually have. Anyways, this was pure theatre, desperate for attention and dripping in Te Pati Māori symbolism.

But the performance was only the beginning. What really raised red flags was the flood of Toitū Te Tiriti merchandise paraded around on stage. For those unaware, Toitū Te Tiriti isn’t just a catchy slogan. It is a registered company. And the director? Christine Tamahere, wife of Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi

This whole Toitu Te Tiriti shit has been dressed up as a cultural moment, but underneath it is a slick, calculated political campaign. Their website proudly sells $55 flags and states:

“All proceeds from this site will be used to help with the costs that a movement of this large nature will need during the next 3 years…

They openly admit that all proceeds from their merchandise will cover costs “for the next three years,” and there’s a clear reason for that timeframe - they want to raise as much money as possible well ahead of the next election. This isn’t some grassroots cultural movement; Toitū Te Tiriti is a carefully disguised political trojan horse. It uses the guise of culture and kaupapa Māori to funnel cash and build momentum for Te Pāti Māori’s election campaign. It’s a slick operation, but don’t be fooled - it’s all about power and politics wrapped in marketing speak.

Stan Walker hijacked the country’s premier music awards and turned what should have been a celebration of artistic achievement into a full-blown political stunt. Instead of using the stage to honour music, he used it as a megaphone to shove Te Pāti Māori’s agenda down the throats of every viewer in the country. And while doing that, he conveniently helped promote a politically aligned business, Toitū Te Tiriti, parading its branding across the stage as if it were a sponsored segment on taxpayer time.

What we witnessed was not cultural pride or unity. It was a thinly veiled advertising campaign for a political movement, disguised as entertainment. No one called it out, because criticising it instantly gets you labelled a racist. This was a calculated PR move, wrapped in culture, with a commercial motive hiding in plain sight.

Let’s not pretend this is normal. Imagine if a musician tied to the National Party or ACT turned up at a national awards show waving blue flags and plugging political slogans. The media would be frothing. It would be labelled propaganda, and the outrage would dominate headlines for weeks. But because it is coming from Te Pāti Māori, it gets a free pass?

Cultural imagery was used as a trojan horse to push a party line, and most people either didn’t notice or didn’t care. We are told that events like the Aotearoa Music Awards are for everyone, yet what we got was a thinly veiled political rally hijacking our screens.

I don’t buy into the idea that everything wrapped in a korowai is automatically sacred or above criticism. Our culture deserves better than to be reduced to a marketing tool for a political campaign.

New Zealanders, especially Māori, should be asking harder questions. Who benefits from this? Who’s profiting? And who’s using the Māori identity as a platform for power? I’ll tell you - Te Pati Māori and John Tamihere’s mates.

We need to wake up. The stage is no longer just for music. It is being bought, branded and weaponised.

Maybe next time they can roll out a banner that says "KATI TE KOHURUR TAMARIKI". Oh wait, speaking up about murdered Māori children doesn’t sell $55 flags or fund political campaigns, does it?