What is a patriot? Is it simply a green, red, blue, or gold flag waved, anthems sung, or a political position or party held high like the only hope of a country being great or even great again? Thomas Tarurongo Wynne writes.

Is it supporting a political party, present or past, and holding on to what they have done, like old China in a glass cabinet, never to be touched or held in fear that it could be broken? When, in fact, teacups were meant to have tea in them, not sitting like old trophies behind mahogany and glass.

Or is it simply someone who loves, supports, and defends their country with unwavering devotion despite where they live, despite the current or past politics, or despite those who try to silence new voices, new ways of seeing, or simply voices other than their own? King Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV of Tonga encapsulated moana patriotism with his words: “A nation that does not honour its past has no future.” Respecting one’s history and traditions is a cornerstone of true moana patriotism, but respect should never be misunderstood as silence or support without condition.

For us as Māori, the past is not just a series of events but a foundation upon which the present and future are built. Our tupuna from the past are present, our God is present, and our ancient titles of Ariki, Mataiapo, and Rangatira are still present. Those positions command respect, but the person behind the position or title is where respect can never be assumed or taken because that is earned – and easily lost in a moment – something a patriot fully understands.

On August 4, 1965, then Premier Albert Henry said, “Let us begin,” not signalling the start of a journey but the continuation of one that we continue today. For us, the past is not behind us, and the future is not ahead; it is simply here. The stories of ancestors, the wisdom passed down through generations, and the cultural practices that define and identify us are all integral to a moana patriot’s love for their country. On July 29, 1974, then Prime Minister Sir Tom Davis said, “The sea represents as much to the people of small Pacific Islands as the land.” Highlighting that our connection, tauturu, and akaperepere of our Enua and Moana are key aspects of our love for country and our definition of patriotism.

In the Moana, where many nations have experienced the colonisation of land, culture, language, and now the ocean, our response has been a renewed sense of sovereignty and self-determination. The late Prime Minister of Samoa, Tofilau Eti Alesana, once said, “Our sovereignty is not for sale.” A patriot in this context of land, water, and ocean is someone who resists external pressures and strives to protect their nation’s independence of its Enua, Moana, and resources.

Fijian leader and former Prime Minister, the late Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara said: “The welfare of the people is the ultimate law.” Patriotism is not just about national pride but also about ensuring that every single citizen enjoys a good quality of life, not just a few businessmen who see us as profit, politicians as paths to power, and our people as a purse to a lifestyle and travel. A patriot is someone who sees the well-being of their fellow citizens as paramount and works tirelessly to create a fair and equitable society, where no one in the tribe is left behind, where people matter, and where integrity sits alongside the responsibility to lead.

Toketoke Enua is what a patriot means for us as Māori. Tumu enua, from the land, of the land, and in the land. Toketoke, the earthworm, buried deep in the land, drawing its nutrients from the land, knowing one day you will also be nutrient in the land for others. That is what it means to be a patriot – not a defender of a flag, though flags are important; not a defender of a political party and its politics past and present, though politics are also important. The defence of our lands, our water, our Moana, and our people is what it means to be a patriot, because we will pass, but the ocean, land, and people will remain.