REFLECTIVE INSIGHT #028 - DON’T SELL OUR LAND OR OUR SOVEREIGNTY - T.W. RATANA’S POTATO, FLOUR, AND SUGAR PROPHECY

A VINTAGE WARNING

There is a specific kōrero from T.W. Ratana that has been weighing heavy on my heart lately. It’s a prophecy that sounds simple on the surface, but when you look closer, it’s a forensic warning about the survival of our iwi. Ratana warned his people against bartering away their future for things that don’t last. He spoke of a time when the land—our very life force—would be traded for "flour, sugar, potatoes," or in other versions, "flour, sugar, tea, and tobacco".

This wasn't just about what was in the pantry; it was about the "Leaky Bucket" economy we’ve been trapped in for too long. Ratana saw a future where we would give up our means of production (the land) for cheap, consumable goods that leave us empty in the end. It’s a warning about trading our long-term sovereignty for short-term "benefits" that ultimately keep us dependent.

PRODUCTION VS CONSUMPTION

In the way we look at things here in the North, the "Potato" or the "Kūmara" represents Indigenous Production. It’s about what we grow, what we create, and the energy we keep within our own borders. This is what we call "Negentropy"—the building of order and life. When we produce for ourselves, we are "fixing the soil" and ensuring that our well-being is in our own hands.

On the flip side, "Flour and Sugar" represent Imported Consumption. These are high-entropy goods—things that come from outside, provide a quick burst of energy, but ultimately lead to dependency and decay. If we are exporting our raw logs and our best talent (our "embodied energy") only to buy back plastic and sugar, we are in a "thermodynamic suicide pact".

THE LEAKY BUCKET

We see this "Leaky Bucket" in action every day in Taitokerau. We send our raw timber offshore, and in return, we get fiat currency that we spend on imported petrol and electronics. The "value-add" happens somewhere else, and we are left with the "disorder"—the silt in our harbours and the low-wage jobs in our towns. This process is what the Mauri Model calls "Mauri Mate"—it’s a dead-end street.

Ratana’s prophecy is a wero to stop the leak. It’s an invitation to move from being "Static Subjects" who just consume what the system gives us, to becoming "Universal Constructors" who create our own abundance. We need to focus on what builds our life force (Mauri), not just what fills our pockets for a moment.

SECURING THE FUTURE

So, how do we honour this prophecy today? We do it by building Te Ōhanga Mauri—the Economy of Life Force. We do it by supporting circular systems like the Ngāwhā Innovation Park, where we use our own geothermal energy to dry our own timber and grow our own food. We do it by realising that our land is an ancestor, not a tradeable asset.

The "Slow-Cooking Oven" of our restoration is getting hotter. By choosing the "Kūmara" of production over the "Sugar" of dependency, we ensure that Taitokerau remains a "shining light" for the rest of the world. Let’s stop trading our mana for consumables and start investing in the things that truly feed our souls and our future generations.

Next time you're at the checkout or making a business decision, ask yourself: Is this building our "Kūmara" or just adding to the "Sugar"? Let’s support the local initiatives that keep the Mauri in the North.