Thousands attend Waitangi Day celebrations across Tauranga Moana aimed at promoting ‘togetherness and unity’

Waitangi Day dawn service at Mount Drury Reserve organised by Tauranga City Council . Photo/ Leonie Cairns

Across Tauranga Moana, thousands of people gathered at specially organised events to commemorate Aotearoa New Zealand’s national day.

Waitangi marks the 184th anniversary of the first signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi (Treaty of Waitangi).

Making connections, togetherness and unity were common themes that ran through the Waitangi Day events.

The Rātana band performs at the Waitangi Day dawn service at Mt Drury in Tauranga. Photo / Tauranga City Council

Tauranga City Council’s annual Tauranga Moana Waitangi Day dawn service was held at Hopukiore (Mt Drury Reserve), which was followed by hymns and kapa haka and speeches by local kaumātua, clergy from church groups, civic leaders and rangatahi sharing their thoughts about significance for all New Zealanders.

The council’s manager of Māori strategic engagement, Carlo Ellis, said it was estimated about 500 people attended the dawn service.

“It was awesome to see our iwi, whānau and community come together in the spirit of unity. The turnout is telling us we are getting it right. Most of the kōrero focused on challenging us to keep growing together, " Ellis said.

“We were left in no doubt that together we are better off both as a city and a nation.”

Meanwhile, the Historic Village on 17th Ave hosted its fifth Tauranga Moana Waitangi Day Festival was also aimed at creating unity and togetherness.

The celebrations included Māori art workshops, craft stalls, and performances from local musicians and cultural groups, as well as food trucks and a Treaty Storyboard Trail featuring fascinating facts about the history of Tauranga, Treaty of Waitangi, and historic Tauranga battles.

He Iwi Kotahi Tauranga Moana Charitable Trust was the organisation behind the festival and trustee and professional historian Buddy Mikaere earlier said the event was designed for “everyone” and was a day of “unity, fun and celebration”.

“Tauranga is continually growing as a place that’s highly desirable to live in. We need to embrace the vibrancy, multicultural and multi-ethnic make-up that comes with that,” he said.

“We can do that by commemorating the signing of the Treaty on Waitangi Day at this festival, which acknowledges the importance of belonging and wellbeing for all.”

The Historic Village celebrations started with a welcome by well-known local actress, community leader and MC Mabel Wharekawa-Burt, followed by a karakia (prayer) by kaumātua Tamai Tata of Ngāi Tamarāwaho iwi and raising of NZ flag hoisted by TS Chatham Sea Cadets Petty Officer Shaydon Steele.

TS Chatham Sea Cadets petty officer Shaydon Steele hoisted the NZ Flag at the Waitangi Day celebrations at the Historic Village organised by the Te Iwi Kotahi Tauranga Moana Charitable Trust. Photo / Sandra Conchie

Steele said he was “very proud” and privileged to be asked to participate in the Waitangi Day celebrations and had always been a “big fan” of attending these events because of the significance of what the day meant to him and many other New Zealanders.

Welcome Bay girl Brooke McChesney,11, with her parents Katrina and Campbell McChesney, after she had sung the NZ National Anthem at the Historic Village Waitangi Day celebrations. Photo / Sandra Conchie

At the same time as the raising of the NZ flag, 11-year-old Brooke McChesney from Welcome Bay sang the national anthem after she responded to a social media post by the festival organisers who had been looking for a soloist.

An excited Brooke said February 5 was her 11th birthday and singing the national anthem in front of the large crowd was one of her “coolest” birthday presents ever.

“I just loved it. I felt quite calm and while in the moment I also felt very peaceful and joyful,” she said.

Holly Gerrard, her son Te Kaitu, 9, daughter Chardanay, 10, and Te Hue, 7, from Mount Maunganui attended the 2024 Waitangi Day celebrations at The Historic Village. Photo / Sandra Conchie

Also among the crowd at the Historic Village was Mount Maunganui mother Holly Gerrard, her two sons Te Kaitu, 9 and Te Hue, 7, and her 10-year-old daughter Chardanay who participated in a free poi-making workshop led by Heeni Kerekere from Gisborne.

Gerrard said their first Waitangi Day celebration at the Historic Village was a joyful family-friendly event and she loved the togetherness and unity themes of the festival.

She said she also attended the Mount Drury dawn service and described it as a “quite emotional, empowering and beautiful experience.”

“I’m proud to be Māori, and I love our culture and our people. And coming together in unity and sharing each other’s cultures like this only makes us much stronger and better people,” Gerrard said.

Poi-making tutor Heeni Kerekere (on right) sharing her talents with Mount Maunganui mother Holly Gerrard and her children Chardanay, Te Kaitu, and Te Hue Tangaere. Photo / Sandra Conchie

Kerekere, whose nana Barbara Grant lives on Motiti, agreed.

She said she had thoroughly enjoyed being at the Historic Village celebrations because it was solely about unity and togetherness rather than divisiveness.

“It’s an amazing way for all people to come together and share in each other cultures, which makes us all richer, more accepting and better people.”

Western Bay of Plenty District Council Waitangi Day celebrations. Photo / Ricki Nelson

Katikati’s Western Bay Museum hosted its second Te Rā o Waitangi: A Katikati Commemoration of Waitangi Day dawn service, which started with a karakia (prayer) and the raising of the Tino Rangatiratanga and NZ flags followed by the national anthem led by the Tongan Brass Band.

Following the official service and a time for kai, two free movies were played at the Arts Junction Theatre - Whina and Boy.”

Māori leader for the museum Hone Winder-Murray earlier said the celebrations were about “togetherness and unity”.

Western Bay of Plenty District Council mayor James Denyer said about 200 people attended the dawn service which had “gone extremely well”.

Denyer told the 200-strong crowd there had been “considerable debate” in recent months and also during the past 184 years, about what the Treaty meant and how it should implemented.

“But for me, behind all that debate is the idea that by working together, we can enjoy a richer relationship and achieve better outcomes for all.

“As mayor of the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, I want to honour Te Tiriti, I want our council to honour Te Tiriti, and leading by example, I wish for all those in our district to also honour Te Tiriti.”

Local iwi Ngāi Te Rangi also hosted a celebration of Māoritanga at Whareroa Reserve.

Deputy chief executive of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Te Rangi Iwi Trust Roimata Ah Sam earlier said, “The day is intended to give people an opportunity to rewrite the negative connotations of Waitangi Day and celebrate as whānau by showing off some of the superpowers of te ao Māori.”

Some of the activities include hāngi and poi making, the opportunity to experience the cultural richness of kapa haka, and a free barbecue, she said.

Sandra Conchie is a senior journalist at the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post who has been a journalist for 24 years. She mainly covers police, court and other justice stories, as well as general news. She has been a Canon Media Awards regional/community reporter of the year.