David Seymour’s Whakapapa and his Betrayal of the Treaty
Seymour lineage is deeply connected to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and its promises.
By Dr Harpreet Singh | drhsinghnz.substack.com | FB: @DrHSinghNZ
David Seymour, leader of the ACT Party and current Deputy Prime Minister, traces his Māori ancestry to Ngāti Rēhia, a hapū of Ngāpuhi, through his great-great-great-grandmother Maraea Te Inutoto. Maraea was born in 1814 in Whangaroa and died in 1900 in Kaeo, aged about 86. She was possibly the daughter or adoptive daughter (whangai) of Hongi Hika, one of the most influential Ngāpuhi chiefs during the Musket Wars and early Treaty era. This connects Seymour to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and its promises.
Maraea’s lifetime spanned the most transformative century for Māori. In 1840, the Treaty of Waitangi was signed by Ngāpuhi chiefs, promising tino rangatiratanga but introducing Crown pre-emption, which restricted Māori land sales. In 1852, the New Zealand Constitution Act established a settler government, sidelining Māori political authority. The Native Land Acts of 1862 and 1865 created the Native Land Court, converting communal land into individual titles and accelerating alienation. The New Zealand Settlements Act of 1863 enabled confiscation of Māori land in areas deemed rebellious, creating insecurity even for iwi not actively fighting. The Native Schools Act of 1871 introduced state-controlled schools aimed at assimilating Māori children, discouraging te reo Māori and tikanga. In 1877, the Wi Parata v Bishop of Wellington ruling declared the Treaty a “simple nullity” in law, stripping it of enforceable status and undermining Māori claims. By the late 19th century, cultural suppression was entrenched, with education and governance systems promoting assimilation and eroding Māori identity.
Ngāpuhi, including Ngāti Rēhia, retained more land than some iwi but still lost significant areas through court processes, debt, and pressure to sell. By 1900, much of their most fertile land was gone. Rangatira authority was replaced by British law, and hapū governance was marginalised. Language and tikanga were suppressed, and colonial norms dominated daily life. Maraea’s marriage to a European settler in 1833 reflects adaptation strategies during this upheaval, alliances often aimed at protecting whānau interests under new laws.
Fast forward to today: in 2024, ACT introduced the Treaty Principles Bill, seeking to define Treaty principles as equal rights for all citizens, rejecting interpretations of partnership and co-governance. Supporters argued it would restore equality and limit judicial activism, while critics said it undermined Māori rights guaranteed under Te Tiriti and ignored historical injustices. The Bill passed its first reading but was defeated at second reading in April 2025 after widespread opposition, including from Seymour’s own hapū, Ngāti Rēhia.
This contrast is striking. Seymour’s whakapapa connects him to ancestors who endured the very laws that stripped Māori of land, power, and cultural autonomy. Today’s debate over Treaty principles cannot be separated from that history and raises questions about how those experiences should inform modern policy.
Edited: Whether she was the daughter of Hongi Hika is contested; the article was updated to reflect that.