Thomas Winn: Who is a Patriot?

What is a patriot? Is it just waving a green, red, blue or gold flag, singing the national anthem, or holding high a political stance or party as if it is the only hope for the country to be strong or even great again? Thomas Tarulongo Winn writes.

Is it to support a particular political party, present or past, and stick with what they do, like old china in a glass case, never touched or held for fear it will break? When in fact teacups are meant to hold tea, not sit behind mahogany and glass like old trophies.

Or simply a person who loves, supports, and defends their country with unwavering loyalty, no matter where they are, no matter the politics of the moment or the past, no matter how some try to silence new voices, new perspectives, or simply voices other than their own? King Taufa’ahau Tupou IV of Tonga summed up Moana patriotism in one sentence: “A nation that does not respect its past has no future.” Respect for one’s history and traditions is the cornerstone of true Moana patriotism, but respect should not be misunderstood as unconditional silence or support.

For us Maori, the past is not just a series of events, it is the foundation of the present and the future. Our past tupuna is still there, our God is still there, and so are our ancient titles of Ariki, Mataiapo and Rangatira. These positions are worthy of respect, but respect for the person behind the position or title cannot be taken away, because respect is earned and can be easily lost in an instant, and patriots fully understand this.

On 4 August 1965, when then Prime Minister Albert Henry said, “Let us begin”, it was not the beginning of a journey, but the continuation of the journey we continue today. For us, the past is not left behind, nor is the future ahead; it is here. The stories of our ancestors, the wisdom passed down from generation to generation, and the cultural practices that define and identify us are all integral to the love of our homeland for Moana Patriots. On 29 July 1974, then Prime Minister Sir Tom Davis said, “For the people of the small Pacific islands, the sea is as important as the land,” highlighting our connection to Enua and Moana, tauturu and akaperepere as key aspects of our love of homeland and our definition of patriotism.

In Moana, many nations have experienced colonization of their lands, cultures, languages ​​and now their oceans, and our response has been to reassert a sense of sovereignty and self-determination. The late Samoan Prime Minister Tofilao Eti Alesana once said, “Our sovereignty is not for sale.” In the context of land, waters and oceans, a patriot is one who resists outside pressures and works to protect his country from enua, moana and resources.

Fijian leader and former Prime Minister, the late Sir Ratu Kamisese Mara, once said: “The welfare of the people is the supreme law.” Patriotism is not only about national pride, it is about ensuring a good quality of life for every citizen and not just for a few businessmen who see us as profits, politicians as a path to power, and our people as a way of life and a wallet to travel. A patriot is someone who sees the welfare of his fellow countrymen as paramount and works tirelessly to create a fair and just society where no one in the tribe is left behind, where people matter, and where integrity goes hand in hand with leadership responsibility.

For us Maori, that’s what being a patriot means. Tumu enua means being from the land, of the land, in the land. Toketoke means being the earthworm, buried deep in the land, drawing nourishment from the land, knowing that one day you will also be nourishment for others in the land. That’s what being a patriot means – not being a defender of the flag, although the flag is important; not being a defender of political parties and their politics, past and present, although politics are important. Being a patriot means defending our land, our water, our moana and our people, because we may perish, but the sea, the land and the people will live on.