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Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Volume 36, Number 18. 26th July 1973

Marae or Committee?

Marae or Committee?

Since the members of a sub-tribe were all related there was no such thing as a two party system or adherence to a convention such as majority rule. Because the hapu was a primary group that rested in the ideology of the unity of the kinship group, it could maintain itself only on the basis of consensual decision making.

The marae as an institution was ideally suited to authority based on the consensual decision of the community. The community would meet by day on the marae to consider a take or problem. The aphorisms of the Maori stressed that the democratic process would not be served unless matters were discussed openly on the marae, 'Kia whitingia e te ra, kia puhipuhia e te hau', (That they might be exposed to the bright sunlight and blown about by the wind). This is in contrast to the Pakeha method of sitting in committee behind closed doors.

An important element in arriving at consensual decisions was the absence of a time dimension. If a conclusion could not be arrived at on the marae, then the discussion would continue in the meeting house at night. The physical arrangements in the meeting house of bedding on the floor were well suited to the prolonged discussions necessary for consensual decisions. Those that became hors de combat would fall asleep in their recumbent positions to rejoin the fray at any time in the middle of the night that they felt inclined. Often, it was here that a final decision was made, and in this respect the meeting house complemented the marae. According to the aphorism "Nga korero i kore i oti i runga i te marae me whakatutuki ki roto i te whare." (The discussions that were not completed on the marae should he brought to a conclusion in the house.)

Photo of Dr Rangi Walker