Tino Rangatiratanga

Today's entry is mainly aspirational and talks about my hopes and dreams for not only my people but all Indigenous people throughout the world.

-

Tino : Very - Much - Many - A lot

Ranga : Weaving , Binding, Bringing together

Tira: Groups, Groups of Men, Groups of People

Tanga : Tion - Ism - Ness

_

My translation : Exercising the right, capability and power to bring people together, to lead.
Actively pursuing and creating this right, this capability
-

This is my own Translation for 'Tino Rangatiratanga'. I make no reference to other translations of this term, though other people may like this translation, and can use it.

-

I believe the earliest written use of this term... Was either in the Declaration of Independence or Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

-

It is what is intrinsically part of every Human Being.

He has his right to determine his way in how he will achieve his 'Tino Rangatiratanga'.
-

Indigenous Peoples exercised their rights and capabilities over their gifts, lands, culture and language for millennia.

Indigenous people have the same rights to do this TODAY.
-

We must Not continue to give credence to forces, groups, ideas and ideologies which are contrary to our own 'Tino Rangatiratanga'.

-

Before the United Nations guaranteed our rights... WE HAD THEM.

It is up to each of us to fully exercise them
-

Those who do not exercise their rights.. passively contribute to the detriment of those same rights.

-

We must all stand up for our, political, educational, linguistic, cultural, economic and National interests, capabilities, for our potential...

and

We must work to Govern those institutions that we always Governed.

It is our right.

Our ancestors plead... Our descendants Need....