The birth of Mana 2011's big event...for the 99%.

One of the most dramatic events to take place in 2011 was the fall and rise of Hone Harawira. When he quit the Maori Party because of its developing dependence and dysfunctional relationship with the National / Act Party and headed the formation of the Mana Movement no one realised just what a dynamic effect that move would have on both Maori politics and the politics of the have-nots.

Labour which had once been a party which represented [at least in part] the workers but had over the previous 25 or so years destroyed its tenuous so-called connections to the working class. With self interested leaders like Roger Douglas, Richard Prebble and a bunch of other right-wingers wearing a false centre left label, labour became in many cases a dangerous laughing stock and this was proven correct when Douglas and Prebble finally jumped ship and created the now mortally wounded basket case Act Party.

The birth of a Maori Party was meant to bring hope for a better future for not only Maori but for all those whose social position, earning power, educational opportunities and health status had been slashed, degraded or lost under past Labour / National attacks led by both Labours Roger Douglas and Nationals Ruth Richardson. But alas the Maori Party instead of remaining independent became the unashamed bed mate of National and Act and was then captured by the Maori elite.

Once they took that amazing step backward in 2008 their reason for existing became somewhat questionable. Their strange behaviour was the key driver for Hone Harawira to get out of the bed made by the Maori Party leadership, take a hot shower and return to the world of helping people rather than one that made peoples positions both economically and socially more unbalanced. Many felt that this was the only honourable path in both a political and social sense open to him. The outcome of the 2011 election proved this to be the case.

So Mana was born out of that confusion and out of that blend Mana Manawatu is now preparing for the days, weeks, months and years ahead. Mana; with out any government support achieved its first step goals. It helped Hone get reelected both at the Te Tai Tokerau by-election and at the national election a short time later. It also built a solid and well structured frame work that will see its growing number of supporters make a huge impact within all the Maori seats and thereby create a launch pad for the future. In the Manawatu that momentum is continuing toward the 2014 election or for an early election should the present combination of National, Act, Dunne and the Maori Party lose its slim majority. Thus Mana with Pride is but another stride forward in the search for a fair, equal and just society for all New Zealanders, one that seeks to close the ever-widening gap between the haves and the have not’s. I hope that you will continue to assist or join in this worthy goal, all are welcome.