Commemorating Waitangi Day

This Sunday will mark 182 years since the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi | Treaty of Waitangi; Waitangi Day. 

 Due to COVID-19, we will not be attending the commemorations at the Treaty Grounds, which we have had the privilege of being at in the past. Instead, we can focus our attention on our own connection to the 6th of February 1840, and spend some time learning more about this historic moment in our nation’s short history.

 This week our Kaupapa Māori Directorate organised two lunchtime “Kawhe me te Kōrero; Coffee and Conversation” sessions with Network Waitangi Ōtautahi organiser Katherine Peet. Katherine took the attendees through some key events that aren’t widely known regarding the signing of the te Tiriti, the Treaty, as well as the role of the Waitangi Tribunal and how we can honour te Tiriti today.

 280 people signed up across both sessions and the feedback has been that these topics are extremely important to understand as Fire and Emergency personnel.

 Tangata whenua are significant stakeholders in our organisation’s operations which has been evident at major incidents such as the Tasman Fires in 2019, Lake Ōhau fires last year, and most recently the fires in Te Tai Tokerau, Northland. 

 In order to build and maintain strong relationships with Māori in our communities, we must better understand our nation’s history and the events surrounding the signing of te Tiriti | the Treaty. The Kawhe me te Kōrero sessions were recorded and can be accessed below, as well as through this dedicated Portal page with more learning resources.

Session 1

Kōrero: The background to te Tiriti | the treaty, historical context, things everyone should know, things we were never taught.

How to mark the day in your rohe (region);

While a lot of the larger kānohi ki te kānohi (face to face) events have been cancelled, there are still plenty of opportunities to connect with your community safely. Below is a snapshot of what we could find and please let us know if there's an event happening near you that isn't listed below so we can include it.