Hone and the Dalai

Barry Soper was retelling to a few of us the story of how Hone Harawira took part in greeting the Dalai Lama. It’s so funny, I asked him to kindly send me a copy of his filing on it:

You’ve got to give it to the Maori Party’s Hone Harawira. If Luigi Peters is a political opportunist, as many think he is, then Hone’s the master at media manipulation.

It was The Dalai Lama’s day at Parliament yesterday. He was whizzed around the political parties whilst the leaders of the two main ones did a diplomatic dance.

So he made his way around the minors with the main event being one staged by Prissy peter Dunne in Parliament’s Grand Hall. Prissy Peter stood at the top of the Parliamentary steps for some considerable time, awaiting the Dalai’s arrival.

Hone had just been out for a run and inquired of journalists on his arrival back at Parliament what all the fuss was about. He was told the Dalai Lama was about to arrive and be greeted by the leader of United Future.

“Cool,” said Hone, “I’d like to meet him too,” and with that he scrambled up the steps in his gym shoes, track pants, T shirt and stood alongside Prissy Pete who shuffled sideways. But Hone stood his ground and as the prissy one descended the steps to welcome the Tibetan spiritual rock star, he stole the show bursting into a Maori welcome and even hongied the gentlemanly monk as he reached him near the top of the stairs.

Prissy Pete quickly grabbed one of The Dalai’s sacred hands, the other was about to be clutched by Parliament’s protocol officer. But like a gun slinger, Hone got there first and guided the monk to the masses.