OPINION: I was recently reminded of my very first appearance in the High Court as a freshly qualified young lawyer in the 1990s. Zara Staples Photography/Supplied Barristers Manaaki Terekia, Heather Vaughn, Mana Taumaunu and Tiana Epati wearing taonga in court. Taonga that may be worn in court are likely to include pounamu, bone or wooden hei-tiki, toki, manaia and hei-matau, representing various deities and characteristics in te ao Māori. The courts, like Parliament, value tradition and formality, and are central to the public operation of justice and governance of our country. I’d remind my colleague that, while often slow to change, these rules do in fact develop and have in our lifetimes.

Source: Stuff June 11, 2021 16:52 UTC