A panel of local historians will be discussing the Treaty of Waitangi and its relevance today at a public meeting to be held in Tauranga on Wednesday evening, April 10.
The discussion seminar coincides with the 184th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in Tauranga on April 10, 1840.
The Treaty of Waitangi was first signed in the Bay of Islands on February 6, 1840. Over the following months a further eight Treaty sheets were signed in various locations around New Zealand. One of those places was Tauranga.
Local author and historian Debbie McCauley, who wrote the bilingual children’s nonfiction picture book ‘The Treaty of Waitangi in Tauranga: Te Tiriti o Waitangi ki Tauranga Moana’ says the document arrived in Tauranga after many years of violence and bloodshed that decimated the local population.
Signatories on Sheet 5 of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, signed in Tauranga in April, 1840. Image: Supplied.
“Sheet 5 of Te Tiriti o Waitangi was signed in Tauranga Moana. One of the signing dates was April 10, 1840,” says Debbie on the Te Tiriti ki Tauranga Moana Facebook page.
More information on the Treaty signatories can be found here
Debbie will be joined by Buddy Mikaere (Ngāti Pukenga, Ngai Te Rangi), iwi leader Charlie Rahiri (Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Paoa), Archbishop Sir David Moxon, Chamber of Commerce head Matt Cowley, and community stalwart Simon Beaton.
"On this 184th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in Tauranga, we invite you to join us for a discussion about what our community thinks about the Treaty today,” says Debbie.
“In recent times the Treaty and its principles have come under intense scrutiny by the coalition government leaving some of us wondering why.
“This seminar will hopefully provide some answers as we look at the Treaty’s historical background in our city; move forward into contemporary times and the implications for today and then project into the future and what that might look like.”
‘The Treaty in Tauranga, Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow” panel discussion will be held at The Elms, Mission Street, Tauranga, from 6.30pm, Wednesday April 10, 2024.
Signatories on Sheet 5 of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, signed in Tauranga in April, 1840. Image: Supplied.
4 comments
Hmmm
Posted on 09-04-2024 17:09 | By Let's get real
For me, because the treaty has been wealded like a weapon lately, it is causing me to have less support for the document.
We have people re-interpreting the document to suit their own agenda and ignoring the fact that it was a hugely valuable document, bringing peace and prosperity to anyone that made an effort.
Some of the wealthiest people in the country identify as Maori, but because wealth has been given rather than earned, it holds little value and any understanding of how to make more appears to be an alien concept.
As far as I'm aware, there is absolutely nothing preventing anyone from becoming an achiever in NZ, other than support and effort and self belief. There is plenty of financial support for Maori, so what's missing.... Not a few words that have been poorly translated.
Time to reboot.
Posted on 10-04-2024 12:27 | By morepork
In 2040 it was a different world. The situation then, was considerably different from the situation now, and yet, when you read the Treaty, it's decency and fairness shines through. The Crown and the Chiefs who signed it, did so in a spirit of goodwill with advantages for both sides. Subsequent "bad behaviour" by both sides, led to rebellion and consequent land confiscation that was against the spirit of the Treaty. In the last century we saw an "industry" arise, based on spinning and interpreting it to suit various vested interests (both Maori and non-Maori). In principle, we should uphold the agreements made between The Crown and the Chiefs, but, given the comprehensive societal changes across 200 years, maybe this needs to be tempered with a modern discussion. Take the principles, combine them with the Bill of Rights, and get a new Constitution that is fair to EVERYONE.
@ morepork
Posted on 11-04-2024 09:04 | By Yadick
In 2040 . . . 😂
@Yadick
Posted on 11-04-2024 13:55 | By morepork
Thanks... :-) I usually proof all my posts before hitting Enter, but that one slipped through... :-) Obviously, I meant 1840. It seems to me that 2040 would be an ideal chance to completely review the basis for our Governance. We need to start working together instead of trying to dominate each other. The principles in the Treaty are sound and give Maori the same rights as any other citizen. (For its time, that was a radical concept; nowadays we accept that equality is the only way... And we now have over 200 different ethnicities who are ALL entitled to respect and equality before the law.) There is an amazing opportunity here for us to be a model for the world and show that diversity is not only possible, but highly desirable, bringing benefits from multiple sources to ALL sectors of our society.
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