On Matua Kahurangi's Identity

The Maori Joker Serving Up Huge Dollops of 'Cope.'

The essays published by the social media user Matua Kahurangi have caused a great deal of consternation within leftist and separatist circles, and a great deal of speculation about his identity and authenticity. The leftists and the separatists are outraged that a person of Maori heritage is expressing opinions of which they disapprove.

The consensus amongst them is that he is fake, AI generated, posting content on behalf of shadowy international rightwing conspiracies or the domestic libertarian Act party. Matua himself is fully aware that their objective in dismissing him in this manner is to goad him into proving his identity so that they can engage in their favoured cancel culture antics to silence him.

What is not helpful to their cause is that Matua has contacted a number of people. Including me, and therein lies a story.

I’m reminded of an incident fifteen years ago when the television presenter Paul Henry outraged the New Zealand public by questioning the appointment of His Excellency Sir Anand Satyanand as Governor General, stating His Excellency doesn’t “look and sound like a New Zealander.”

I didn’t share in the outrage, instead I was bemused by the ludicrousness of it all. In the subsequent storm of public discourse, the truth of Sir Anand’s speaking voice was lost in the noise.

I said at the time and I’m saying again now: Sir Anand Satyanand has the broadest Kiwi accent of anyone I’ve ever met. That Paul Henry had made himself a laughing stock by levelling that particular criticism was apparent to anyone and everyone who’s ever heard His Excellency enunciate.

And today I find myself in a similar circumstance. Yesterday I inadvertently outraged the leftists and the separatists by publicly attesting that Matua is a real person whilst not satiating their desire for cancellation by divulging his identity. Over the intervening period a prevailing narrative has gained ascendancy, promulgated by the corrupt Iwi corporations and leftist vestigial media outlets, that he is AI generated or at least, a non-Maori operative employed by a conspiracy. To which I say this:

Matua Kahurangi has spoken to me personally, I have heard his voice. He possesses a broad Kiwi accent instantly recognisable to any New Zealander as belonging to a middle-aged Maori bloke.

I have extended an invitation to Matua to appear on my live show to dispel the nonsense circulating about him which he has declined. I’m really looking forward to the day he changes his mind and does an interview with me or someone else because this I absolutely promise you: when you hear this bloke’s voice, you’re going to laugh your arses off.

And a thicket of leftists and separatists are going to be wiping egg off their faces.

-SRA. Auckland, 11/ii 2025.