Margaret Mutu, Titiwhai Harawira and their ilk should be eternally grateful for the arrival of Europeans and the rights and privileges offered by the Queen's Sovereignty as guaranteed by the Treaty.

In pre-colonial times her rights on the marae would have been little better than that of a captured slave completely subservient to the males of the whanau and unable to even speak on the marae.

She would be unable to express any opinions affecting her life and spend her days in doing all the chores needed to make her husband's life comfortable.

The men of the tribe were warriors and apart from occasional building, digging or fishing spent their time entirely in preparing for battle and sitting around planning raids, talking of past victories or just chatting.. Were she to be ill she might even be prevented from sleeping in the wharepuni or being served food in case she introduced evil spirits.

These tribal customs have been evidenced even in recent times where non-Maori women have been castigated for endeavouring to sit at the front of meetings or take part in debates. Ask Titewhai Harawira.

Bryan Johnson, Omokoroa.