An organiser says the number of people who attended an annual Waitangi Day hīkoi (march) in Hawke’s Bay is a record that reflects the current level of interest in the Treaty.
The annual commemoration event was staged near Clive during Tuesday’s public holiday close to where the Treaty of Waitangi was signed by local chiefs Te Hapūku, Hoani Waikato and Harawira Mahika Te Tatere in 1840.
As well as speeches, about 400 people took part in a hīkoi while waving flags, which started at Ātea a Rangi Star Compass in Waitangi Regional Park and finished on the banks of Te Awa o Mokotūāraro (formerly known as the Clive River).
Waitangi Day events right across the country drew strong crowds this year partly in response to a highly contentious proposal by Act for a Treaty Principles Bill that is being backed by the coalition Government to be put before a Select Committee.
Secretary Maxine Boag of Waipureku Waitangi Trust, which organised the local commemoration, said she’d “never seen the hīkoi so big”.
“We are absolutely delighted. There was a huge increase in the number of people that came, we had about 400 on our hīkoi, on our march.
“That is about twice as many as we had last year.
“I think it reflects there is a lot of interest in the Treaty, a lot of support, and a lot of commitment from people wanting to support the [existing] kaupapa [principles].”
Mayors, MPs and iwi leaders all attended the commemoration with some speaking to the crowd.
Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi chair Bayden Barber spent a week at a hui in Waitangi before heading back to the Bay for Waitangi Day.
He spoke at the commemoration event and said he was impressed by the turnout, particularly with a lot of young people.
“I think there has been a lot of emphasis on this year’s Waitangi Day celebrations, with everything going on in Wellington.”
He said his message on behalf of the iwi was clear.
“The Treaty of Waitangi is the foundation, and it is solid and ain’t moving, and it needs to stay like that.
“That is my message to the Act Party that is wanting to re-define the principles of the Treaty, or to water down the Treaty of Waitangi, we say no with a capital NO.”
He said it was also an important day to build unity and partnerships between councils, MPs and iwi to work together for the region.
Another big Waitangi Day celebration was held at Hastings’ Mitre 10 Sports Park, organised by Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi.
Thousands of people took part in that event as temperatures hit a balmy near 30C, with plenty of entertainment and food on offer.
“It is a great event, there are thousands of people coming into the sports park,” Barber said.
“I’m looking forward to having some fun with my family and kids, I haven’t seen them for seven days [while I’ve been at Waitangi].”
Woodville and Wairoa also held special events to celebrate the anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi.
Te Tiriti o Waitangi (the Treaty of Waitangi) is not itself a law, but rather a treaty.
Since 1975, many laws have referred to the “principles” of the Treaty - effectively allowing Treaty rights to be enforced in a court of law.
In the late 1980s, Justice Robin Cooke in the Court of Appeal was the first to outline what those “principles” were with any great detail.
Over time the definition of Treaty principles has been expanded, but there is no final or complete list of Treaty principles.
That is partly due to controversy about differences between the Māori and English versions of the Treaty.
Act’s proposed bill would effectively see the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi redefined.