Rangatahi at the Forefront

Matagi Vitolio & Apiha Tumatanui 

Ngāi Tauira Salient Column  

Māori activism in Aotearoa has been driven by the core principle that we have a responsibility to protect our rangatahi and future generations. This responsibility gives reason to decisions made in activism, for education, and for communities. The aspirations and dreams that we hold for mokopuna unifies the collective activation that is most present throughout recent Māori activism. Today, not only does this principle of Kaitiakitanga for the youth still hold true, but the sprouting of newfound resilience and strength in leadership has surfaced within today’s rangatahi. From the streets of  Wellington to the digital world on my phone, the integration of Māori activism successfully persists in its visibility—in the clothes we wear, the language we learn, and the knowledge we acquire.  

The suppression of Māori rights and culture correlate to the growing interest that rangatahi Māori have in pursuing politics and social sciences within institutional education. I see this so clearly through the increasing rates of enrolment in humanities and social science-based disciplines. Two key leaders that have shaped the stance for many young Māori include Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke and Tamatha Paul. Both are helping to usher in a new generation with unapologetic Māori  perspectives and livelihoods. Together, they have helped normalize political participation as a pathway for Māori youth, not just protest or disengagement. Their influence is not just in policy, but in inspiration: encouraging rangatahi to see themselves as leaders, organisers, and decision-makers in shaping Aotearoa’s future. 

Social media has become the key tool that has enabled rangatahi to mobilise and stay  informed. The intersectionality of indigenous activism in New Zealand helps connect Māori rights with other intersectional concerns including climate justice, language  revitalisation, queer rights, and other broader social equity issues. The rangatahi activism that I see today is grounded in rich identity and cultural resurgence; many young Māori have reclaimed their reo, strengthened their whakapapa and tikanga, and asserted their mana motuhake. This cultural footing and the accessibility of digital social media has helped to fuel political action and has distinguished the approach from earlier generations. Seeing this shift gives me hope that the future of Aotearoa will be shaped by rangatahi who are grounded in who they are and confident in where they are going.