O-o: I pretty much forgot that it was a blogpost day and Waitangi Day today — until now, which is rather late in the day. But still the day, so it’s not (quite) a mea culpa after all.

Bay of Islands from Waitangi — where Te Tiriti was signed

True confessions, I do lose track of the days sometimes, when I’m deep in the writing, and have been known to miss catchups with friends as well. Which is definitely mea culpa territory, although it’s never intentional.

Anyway, back to February 6 and Waitangi Day, which is the day that marks Aotearoa-Nu Zild’s foundation as a modern nation. On this day, way aways back in 1840, representatives of the British Crown and the Maori people of New Zealand signed a treaty at Waitangi (in the Bay of Islands) which effectively made this country part of the British Empire and enabled lawful settlement by people from other places.

The Mission House at Waimate North — also in the Bay of Islands & from the same era as Te Tiriti

So Te Tiriti O Waitangi, the Treaty of Waitangi, is the founding document of Aotearoa-New Zealand as we know it today. Which makes it pretty special, to my way of thinking. The really important thing about it, though, I’ve always felt and thought, is that the establishment of NZ’s government and subsequent settlement, is by agreement — because of Te Tiriti.

Not by conquest, or by purchase, or without any by-your-leave, but by agreement. Which is not to say that plenty of bad stuff hasn’t happened subsequently, in the (sadly) usual colonial way. And although I’m writing in  a relatively informal way, I don’t make light of that history, which is why I’ve always supported the work of the Waitangi Tribunal and the Treaty settlement process.

The Waitangi Tiriti page

I’ve felt proud, not because we’ve needed to do that work—there’s nothing to be proud of in the cumulative acts and omissions of the Crown that have caused the need for redress—but because as a country we’ve been willing to do it.

Correspondingly, I’ve been dismayed by the current government’s promotion of a Bill that I believe, having read it, effectively seeks to rewrite and nullify Te Tiriti. I’ve made a submission on that, so won’t revisit it here, but it does make me want to mark Waitangi Day and reflect upon what it means to me.

I’ve seen a poster recently that encapsulates the core of it, so I’m going to paraphrase it here:

I am Tangata Tiriti* (*one of the many NZers who are legitimately here, ie not a colonist, because of Te Tiriti)

Because of Te Tiriti, Aotearoa-New Zealand is my home.

As a citizen, I respect and honour Te Tiriti O Waitangi: the Treaty of Waitangi.

Toitu Te Tiriti: Honour the Treaty.