#Treaty of Waitangi

[sapphia]

So for anyone who doesn’t keep up with nz politics, which i’m assuming is most of you, our new radical right government have decided one of their main aims of their term will be to re-interpret the Treaty of Waitangi.

The Treaty is an agreement between Maori and the Crown, now the NZ government. It is the founding document of new zealand and is recognised as a constitutional document today; it is the only treaty of its kind/time still honoured, and it is the steps we’ve taken through the Treaty to provide restitution and build an ongoing relationship with Maori and their iwi (tribes) that has allowed the relationship between Maori and the government to thrive where other indigenous groups have struggled to achieve recognition of their rights.

This is going to be entirely undone. Not only is this issue inflammatory and a threat to race relations in Aotearoa, leaked documents show the proposed “reinterpretation” wants to negate pretty much the entirety of the legal rights provided to Maori under the treaty. For example, the treaty article that guarantees land rights for Maori will be reinterpreted to guarantee land rights for “all New Zealanders”. Which means this article would be essentially meaningless for Maori.

By removing Maori from the context they are trying to put Maori on an “equal footing” with all New Zealanders; they are riding the idea that Maori have special rights and privileges above that of the average New Zealander. Obviously this is bullshit but it’s effective rhetoric and there’s a grain of truth to in that the extent of Maori rights hadn’t been clearly defined due to the ongoing nature of the process. So this has got a lot of people with a poor grasp of the issues very upset and baying for change.

There is a hui (meeting) being held today for all the iwi to begin discussions of how Maori will respond to this. New Zealand politics isn’t very interesting usually, but our progress on indigenous rights, until now, has been absolutely ahead of the field. If you care about indigenous rights globally, you should care about this, because in the same way Australia’s referendum loss has spurred on this action, the loss of rights here will spur other right wing governments to be similarly bold to their own indigenous groups.

Indigenous rights in New Zealand are under attack. They are meeting today to discuss it, and New Zealand will be listening, but I want the world to be listening. Because our government needs the shame of being called out by more than just the people who they’ve already decided don’t vote for them.

Maori have a long and proud history of fighting for their rights, and they’ll do it again here. And I’ll be on the pickets beside them, but there’ll be plenty of my own pickets to attend, because this government is radical in every sense of the word.

So please, even if you’re very far away, stand behind them in this. Keep your eyes on us. Amplify their voices. Don’t let the racism drown them out.

[fireangelsstuff]

One for the literal history books...

50,000 people 🖤🥝

[victusinveritas]

Artist: Huriana Kopeke-Te Aho

[cavedraconem]

Since there's a bit of interest in the Treaty of Waitangi right now around here...

I've just acquired this coins commemorating New Zealand Day, 1974. Now, those of you who are kiwis might be thinking, wait, what? The reason you're thinking that is because 1974 was both the first and penultimate New Zealand Day.

In the mid-20th century, there was quite a lot of agitation from Maori for more recognition of the Treaty of Waitangi (signed in 1840 between the tribal chiefs and the British crown). Among more substantive demands, one of the requests was for the anniversary of the signing (February 6th) to be recognised with a national public holiday.

In 1960, despite its election promise, the Labour government didn't declare a real public holiday: Waitangi Day was made a 'national day of thanksgiving and commemoration', and a region could choose to move one of its other public holidays to February 6th if they chose. Obviously no one but Northland (home of Waitangi itself) did so.

Finally another Labour government took the step of making it an actual public holiday... called New Zealand Day! Apparently this was already celebrated by kiwi diplomats overseas so it's not totally without precedent. The PM and Minister of Maori Affairs at the time considered this a unifying move, making the day a celebration of nationhood. The first New Zealand Day was the one commemorated by this very coin in 1974, and was celebrated with a massive theatrical display at Waitangi and televised throughout the land. ("'Imaginative pageantry or tasteless vulgarity?' asked the New Zealand Herald.")

After just one more New Zealand Day (much quieter), the concept was brought to an end by the incoming National government, and specifically its infamous PM Robert Muldoon (look up the NZ 1984 sometime). He renamed the day back to Waitangi Day, possibly as a sop to Maori activists who really would have preferred he got on with this new-fangled "Waitangi tribunal" that he was meant to be setting up to deal with their genuine grievances.

So that's the start and end of New Zealand Day (all info from NZ History dot govt). Would it have been more unifying than the Waitangi Day we have now? Probably not - certainly that hasn't worked for Australia Day, and there are plenty of issues both historical and present to protest.

By the way, if there are any kiwis reading, I absolutely recommend going to Waitangi sometime (and ideally knock around Paihia and Kerikeri and Russell a bit too while you're at it). The museum, marae and historical buildings there give you so much perspective on what the Treaty was and why it was signed. Plus the views out into the Bay of Islands are really nice - and maybe if you arrive early enough in the morning, you'll see a great heron taking off against the rising sun, just like on this coin.

[hislittleraincloud]

Meet New Zealand's Hana-Rawhiti Kareariki Maipi-Clarke. She's an MP in NZ's parliament. Her haka is in protest of a bill that would have taken rights afforded to the tribes and applied them to all New Zealanders (defeating the purpose of the Treaty of Waitangi).

She is 22 years old, and this isn't the first time she's done it.

🫴🏽✨👑✨

[tciddaemina]

Toitū Te Tiriti protest in Ōtepoti, Te Wai Pounamu today, on Waitangi Day the 6th February. The new coalition government is threatening to make major revisions to the interpretation of Te Tiriti o Waitangi (The Treaty of Waitangi, Aotearoa New Zealand's founding document) in order to erode the rights and protections promised to Māori during the accord that founded the nation. Unsurprisingly, its blowing up in David Seymour's slimy face, with Waitangi Day kicking off nationwide protests.

Honestly, ACT, NZ First, and National can all go get fucked. First they want to reverse the offshore oil drilling ban, then they want to neuter climate legislation and downgrade sex education in schools, and now they're coming after Te Tiriti as well. Lets see how well that goes for them.

[chaithetics]

Hīkoi for te Tiriti starts on Monday 11th at Te Rerenga Wairua (Cape Reigna) and ends in Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington) on Tuesday 19th.

There will be activations throughout Aotearoa during this time, including Te Waipounamu (South Island). This post has details for Te Waipounamu activations. For more information on the hīkoi through Te Ika-a-Māui (North Island) and the Toitū te Tiriti kaupapa look at this link.

This document has also been created with Accessibility information for the hīkoi here.

Please show up however you can! Participate in the hīkoi, show up to activations, contact MPs, start thinking about submissions for Select Committee, make an effort with te reo, show up for and support your Māori friends. It is such an insult and so discriminatory that our Government have introduced this in the first place. This matters for Māori, Pākehā and tauiwi. If you are Pākehā or tauiwi you have the privilege of living on this whenua and benefiting from colonisation, it is the bare minimum requirement for you to show up.

When you're at activations please make sure to be safe and look after each other! Stay hydrated, keep water with you, have sunscreen, sun hats, sunglasses, rain jackets, masks, snacks if you need them etc.

[rupertbbare]

Huge turnout for today's hīkoi in Wellington/Te Whanganui-a-Tara!

Toitū te tiriti!

[mucking-faori]

There's a nationwide protest/activation for Toitū the Tiriti scheduled for this Thursday! I haven't got any more details (unsurprisingly lol) for now, but will try to share once I do!

[hahadoesanythingreallymatteranyw]

Genuine question from an outsider, what’s wrong with the New Zealand Treaty Principles Bill? The news articles I’ve read have just been so vaguely worded as to essentially stop at “Maori people don’t like this, because *vague gestures*”. Thanks!

[fireangelsstuff]

She's ripping up a copy of the bill itself by the way

[paradigmquest]

So… I’m thinking we need to rewind to the latest election and vote again… this government is insane.

Turning against the indigenous people in this day and age? Seriously?

Deciding to turn away from the Maori version of the Treaty of Waitangi is CRAZY, and could literally get us removed from the UN (which is a ridiculous risk to take in the current global climate), AND could even technically get all non-Maori kicked out of NZ (seriously, look it up, it’s terrifying)

Dammit. I guess we have to hope that Australia’s offer to let us be part of them still stands. Probably a couple of centuries too late though.

[elliot-rambles]

i've stopped marching for te tiriti because I was exhausted. we went home, but I'm still supporting it!! just because i'm not there doesn't mean I can't support it!! and that means you can support too!! spread the word!! sign the petition!! donate if you can!! (/nf)

we will now return to our regularly scheduled yapping :3

[thesobsister]

Brilliant show of opposition in New Zealand's parliament by Te Pāti Māori MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke in response to a bill proposed by Act, a fringe white "race divides us, so let's do everything we can to undermine legislation that seeks to repair its inequities" political party (sound familiar?), which would rework the foundational principles of the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi.

As the Beeb notes, "The core values of the treaty have, over time, been woven into New Zealand's laws in an effort to redress the wrong done to Māori during colonisation."

I wish we had something as powerful as the haka to show our disdain and defiance. Love to see it done on the floor of the 119th Congress.

[vox-anglosphere]

A Happy Waitangi Day to all our Kiwi friends in New Zealand!