Tribalism was the culture that existed in New Zealand before. On the arrival of Europeans and the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, it was supplanted by democracy.
There are revisionists who would replace the democratic rights of the individual by a form of tribal authority and claim that representation on governmental boards and civil authorities should be by ethnicity and not democratic vote. They believe people are not equal. This was never promised nor intended by the treaty. There has been a marked reluctance by successive governments, judicial bodies and power groups in academia to see that the treaty is correctly interpreted and honoured and that democratic principles are maintained.

Bryan Johnson, Omokoroa.