When Toitū Te Tiriti launched, it promised unity, kaupapa, and a stand for the Treaty of Waitangi. Thousands of New Zealanders, Māori and non-Māori alike, donated, bought shirts, and marched for what they believed was a genuine movement. But behind the slogans and merchandise, the truth appears far uglier.
According to a direct message from Kiri Tamihere Waititi, registered owner of Toitū Te Tiriti Limited, the company’s account is empty. Every cent from merch sales, the t-shirts, the donations, the fundraising efforts, was allegedly siphoned into Hori’s private company. And where the money went after that, nobody seems to know. Attempts to set up proper accounting came too late, leaving donors in the dark.
Even donations from the Hikoi did not flow through official channels, instead reportedly being managed by Trudy Brown, a figure closely linked to former MP Hone Harawira. Transparency, the very principle Toitū claimed to champion, was nowhere to be seen.
For the supporters who believed in the kaupapa, who invested their money and their time, the result is a bitter lesson. The Facebook page for Toitū Te Tiriti has been locked down, conveniently just as questions began to surface.