Page 2 The meaning of the word Taonga has been distorted / corrupted. Article Two of the Treaty in the Maori version says: “The Queen of England confirms and guarantees to the chiefs and the tribes and to all the people of New Zealand, the possession of their lands, dwellings and all their property.” The word taonga is translated ‘property’. Historian Bruce Moon says “The word has an interesting history. In 1820 while assisting Kendall and Lee of Cambridge in compiling the first Maori dictionary, Hongi Hika had defined it as “property procured by the spear – tao”. In an appeal for protection by 13 Ngapuhi chiefs to King William in 1831, they said “We are a people without possessions. We have nothing but timber, flax, pork and potatoes.” And their word for “possessions” was “taonga”. 1 Bruce Moon says “The word “taonga” that the Williams chose for “property” was precisely what it meant in 1840 – chattels or ordinary possessions.”2 The REAA has misinterpreted the meaning of this word, getting their meaning from Hugh Kawharu’s 1989 fraudulent back translation where he gave taonga a new meaning: treasures. Kawharu was wrong. Taonga means physical / tangible objects able to be precured by the spear. In Article two of the Treaty document it means chattels or ordinary possessions. So how can the REAA deem its course for Real Estate Agents ‘a taonga’? It’s neither a chattel or an ordinary possessions. So when the REA course manual says “In Te Ao Māori (the Māori world), knowledge is a taonga (treasure). This educational topic is a taonga (treasure) we would like to gift to you” the authors are contracdicting historical evidence to the contrary. In 1840 Maori concepts and ideas about protocols in real estate sales were non existent. A real estate course is not something, either now or back in 1840, which could be procured by the spear. Nor is it a chattel or an ordinary possession. Page 3 Module 1. Why does a real estate agent need to know or pay homage to Maori protocols and practices i.e. 1-4 below? 1. Describe elements of the pōwhiri process (ceremonial welcome) – karanga 2. (ceremonial call), whaikōrero (formal speech), waiata, karakia (ritual chant), and pepeha (tribal expression), 3. Apply correct te reo (the Māori language) pronunciation in the workplace including the correct pronunciation of placenames, and 4. Apply basic greetings (mihimihi) in the workplace to enhance relationships. Maori who want to buy or sell real estate want to know real estate facts e.g. how much their house will sell for, what they need to know to get the best price, how they can best help the real estate agent and so on. Or, if buying, how much the house is worth, what they can negotiate for the price, the condition of the property via a builders report etc. I worked as a real estate agent for 5 years and and had only one Maori client. Does the
1 Bruce Moon. NZ The Fair Colony. P5 2 Moon, page 5