The 2nd International Maori Melayu Polynesian

Conference and Trade Show

The second international conference on Melayu-Polynesian Ancestral Nations was

held in Waitangi, New Zealand on the 20-28 March, 2014. This conference is the

second bi-annual conference organised by the Melayu-Polynesian Organisation. The

organization is premised on the notion that in whakapapa terms there is a direct link

between Maori and Melayu. In more recent years, evidence has been uncovered that

illustrates the direct link between our peoples.

Many thanks to matua Matua Matutaera Clendon, Ral Makiha, and team for inviting

Nga Kaiawhina to present Wai 262 at the conference in Waitangi.

The conference covered a range of themes including:

The historical roots, origins and supra-national consciousness of Malay-Polynesian

peoples

Malay Women European Discourses on Melayu –Polynesian Identity

Pre-school education

Traditional Medicines, Native Flora and Flora

Traditional to Contemporary Art and design

Financial and Global Sustainability

One of the key proposals presented at the conference was delivered by Col. Prof.

Dato’ Dr. Kamarudin Kachar on day one, who articulated a proposal to develop a

Malayu-Polynesian University, touted to be based in Auckland City, New Zealand.

The unique difference between the proposed development and what is currently

offered includes:

Cultural specific degree content that revitalizes, strengthens and re-engages

the whakapapa relationship that initially existed 40,000 years ago between

Maori, Polynesia and Melayu

Re-strengthen, revitalize the histories of the indigenous people of both

nations that articulate the linkages that have been misinterpreted for centuries

through western educations

To provide a world class university that is competitive with the global market

To ensure that Maori and Melayu in a combined way strengthen their chances

in leadership roles and within the employment sector

Wai 262 Claim

One of the major achievements of the conference was the support that WAI 262 was

able to engender. Maanu Paul and Hema Broad facilitated a presentation on the

claim and with the support of the participants were successful in gaining the support

of the Melayu and Polynesian Conference. The support for the Wai 262 claim was

viewed as being aligned with a similar pursuit in Melayu to ensure the intellectual

property rights of the local flora and fauna. The executive committee has agreed in

principle to support Nga Kaiawhina a WAI 262 with knowledge that the claim is due

to presented to United Nations in September. This is a milestone in the development

of the Wai 262 claim as the claim now has established support from 33 Melayu

nations representing 380 million peoples.

Importantly, the cultural, social and spiritual connections made at the conference

demonstrate that there is an obvious growing support for indigenous developments

to occur in collaboration given the climate of the global market. The pursuit of the

conference to support the revitalization of ancestral links, to re-write and re-generate

indigenous histories was an important tenet to the conference. These themes sat

within the broader context of globalization. In particular, the conference was

generally of the view that as indigenous nations there is an opportunity to

collaborate more closely and to align the future journey forward for generations to

come.

Resolutions from the Conference

1. To establish Nusa Polynesia International University in Auckland and branch

campuses including a floating university branch; this is to be regarded as a

conduit to unite the many islands of our ancestral nations.

2. To establish stronger affiliations and to conduct research and development in

perpetuating cultural values in all the 33 ancestral nations.

3. To encourage ancestral nations to identify, explore and conserve terrestrial

and marine biodiversity and natural sources, and to protect intellectual

properties particularly on fauna and flora.

4 To promote alternative traditional medicines.

5. To encourage establishment of similar Melayu-Polynesian theme parks in the

respective ancestral nations.

6. To establish a Maori Melayu Polynesian gallery in the national museum of

Malaysia at Kuala Lumpur.

7. To establish a Maori-Melayu-Polynesian chamber of commerce to plan and

implement trade and business transactions in specific areas.

8. To promote social and halal businesses among the ancestral nations.

9. To inculcate indigenous socio-cultural values in promoting peace and

harmony through the world especially among the 33 ancestral nations.

10. My apologies, was unable to read my notes for this final resolution.

The third conference has been planned for Indonesia in 2016.

Noho ora mai

Mārie McCarthy