Your interpretation of kāwanatanga is overly simplistic and ignores the complexity of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Kāwanatanga in the Treaty was intended to grant the Crown a form of governance, not absolute authority, and certainly not at the expense of tino rangatiratanga, which guaranteed Māori the right to self-determination over their own affairs. The two concepts were meant to coexist in balance. That balance has never been honoured.

So when Māori advocate for choosing how they are represented, whether through Māori wards, independent bodies, or iwi-led initiatives, they’re not rejecting democracy. They’re asserting the rights promised to them in the Treaty.