105 Human Rights Commission Conclusion This report describes how colonisation, racism, and white supremacy have contributed to injustices and inequities for tangata whenua, across every facet of life, including in land and housing, education, health, criminal justice, and overall wellbeing. Maranga Mai! finds tangata whenua are subjected to daily racism in almost every environment. This has resulted in tangata whenua suffering institutional, interpersonal and internalised racism in their own country for more than 180 years - racism which continues today. Tino rangatiratanga for Māori has been disrupted since the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi (Te Tiriti). Colonisation, racism, and white supremacy have caused poorer life and wellbeing outcomes for tangata whenua. These experiences have severely impeded the ability of Māori to sustain themselves on their own land in thriving communities with iwi, hapū and whānau flourishing in a te ao Māori environment. The way forward for Aotearoa is through the government committing to constitutional reform and co-governance by giving full effect to Te Tiriti and restoring tino rangatiratanga for Māori. The government should also reject the Doctrine of Discovery. This reform is one of the primary steps to eliminate racism against Māori to address what is a serious human and Indigenous rights issue. The establishment of a Truth, Reconciliation and Justice Commission for Māori could provide the springboard for constitutional transformation to occur and bring tangata whenua and tangata tiriti to a new position of understanding about our shared history. Maranga Mai! urges the government to take bold moves and equally robust actions to address racism in Aotearoa. As stated in the Stop Institutional Racism’s Briefing Paper on the development of a National Action Plan: “While racism is embedded in Aotearoa it is also unacceptable and entirely preventable“ (STIR & NZPHA, 2021). Commit to constitutional transformation In response to the ongoing harm and violence caused by Aotearoa’s history of colonisation and racism, Maranga Mai! urges the government and Ministry of Justice to explore and commit to constitutional transformation and co-governance. Honouring and recognising Te Tiriti, in accordance with the spirit it was signed, and He Whakaputanga o Te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tireni | Declaration of Independence (He Whakaputanga), as Aotearoa’s founding documents would be a huge step forward. These documents are “fundamentally relevant because they express the right for Māori to make decisions for Māori that is the very essence of tino rangatiratanga” (Independent Working Group on Constitutional Transformation, 2018). It is also recommended that the government reject, condemn, and remove the Doctrine of Discovery and other racist doctrines from the laws and constitution of Aotearoa. The recommendations of Maranga Mai! support the goal of realising tino rangatiratanga for tangata whenua and kāwanatanga for the Crown and all New Zealanders. Transformation of the constitution is required, with incremental steps taken in the short to medium term to strengthen tino rangatiratanga, and for the government to become honourable kāwanatanga as envisaged in Te Tiriti o Waitangi in 1840. This rebalancing of power will support the achievement of the true vision of Te Tiriti. Reform of central and local government systems is also needed to reduce and eliminate institutional racism which cause inequities and inequalities for Māori in outcomes. This reform should uphold and align these systems with Te Tiriti o Waitangi, by following the foundational work and recommendations set out in Matike Mai Aotearoa and He Puapua reports. This work must be done in partnership with tino rangatiratanga partners who hold the mandate of iwi, hapū and whānau.