Good Faith Yarns Christchurch
Description
The Free Speech Union New Zealand is proud to present the Good Faith Yarns Tour!
This winter, the Free Speech Union New Zealand is hitting the road. The Good Faith Yarns Tour brings honest, good-faith conversation to ten communities across the country, including the regional centres that so often get left out of the national conversation. With a general election on the horizon, public debate is getting louder and more polarised. We want to do something different.
Canterbury sits at the intersection of some of New Zealand's most unresolved conversations. The hangover from the Treaty Principles Bill. The future of Māori political representation. What it actually means to honour a partnership when the ground keeps shifting beneath it.
Joining Ani O'Brien for this Christchurch evening is Professor Te Maire Tau, Ūpoko of Ngāi Tūāhuriri, historian of oral traditions and tribal genealogies, and one of the country's most authoritative voices on indigenous knowledge and Te Tiriti o Waitangi. His historical knowledge was instrumental in the settlement of Ngāi Tahu's Treaty claims — the largest settlement of its day between Māori and the Crown. He knows this land, its history, and its obligations better than almost anyone. Together they'll dig into the Treaty debate, Māori political representation, and what genuine good-faith conversation looks like when the stakes are this high.
📍 Russley Golf Club, 428 Memorial Avenue, Burnside, Christchurch 8053, New Zealand
📅 Wednesday 22 July 2026
🕐 6:30pm-8:00pm
🎙️ Guest Speaker: Te Marie Tau
Speakers
Ani O’Brien
Ani O'Brien is one of New Zealand's most fearless political voices. A writer, commentator, and Free Speech Union Board Member, she's known for holding views that cut across conventional political lines and saying what others won't. Expect honesty, not headlines.
Te Marie Tau
Professor Te Maire Tau (Ūpoko of Ngāi Tūāhuriri, a hapu of Ngāi Tahu) is a historian on oral traditions, tribal genealogies, and indigenous knowledge systems. Professor Tau became the first Director of the Ngāi Tahu Research Centre at the University of Canterbury in 2011. The centre was founded to facilitate Ngāi Tahu’s intellectual capital, leadership, and iwi development. Across the diverse worlds of academia, governance and the “flax roots” of his Tuahiwi village community, his strength lies in collaborating and building relationships across generations and cultures. His historical knowledge proved invaluable during the settlement of Ngāi Tahu’s Treaty of Waitangi claims, providing evidence in the Waitangi Tribunal, and also playing a part in the Treaty settlement negotiations. Subsequently, his scholarly pursuits extended to writing various publications on oral traditions and the relationship between indigenous knowledge systems and how they intersect with western science and economics. With his leadership, profound expertise and commitment to cultural and economic enrichment, Professor Te Maire Tau greatly influences discussions on indigenous heritage and its connection to modern viewpoints.
Tickets for good, not greed Humanitix dedicates 100% of profits from booking fees to charity
