The Treaty of Waitangi is a ‘living document’, the basis for an ‘agreed understanding’ between Aotearoa New Zealand’s chiefs of hapū and iwi, and the Crown. It was intended to provide direction for future growth and development. An official day of holiday and celebration is observed annually on 6 February.

Since 2023, ACT Party leader, David Seymour, has threatened to change the wording of the principles of Partnership, Participation, and Protection of Māori rights, to suit his political and economic goals. This was done without any dialogue with Māori Sovereign Treaty Partners nor by opposition parties – Labour, Green and Māori.

Most New Zealanders who honour the treaty recognise his actions were not in ‘good faith’ and travelled from North and South converging on parliament in a huge march (Hikoī).

A red-shirt army of youth were busy setting up, carrying in platforms, sound-systems, and microphones, ready for speakers. Inside the reserved barricade, seats were arranged for key leaders from across the land. Two seats for Makareta and I, (elders) already standing at the barricade, were offered! We waited five hours watching the drama unfold.

The atmosphere was happy, considerate, caring for elders and the children – all with a purpose to send a message from a unified Aotearoa to David Seymour. “We reject your proposed Bill on the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi.”

The work of writing submissions against the Bill are now being written by those who care and support the rights of Tangata Whenua, the People of the Land.

Noelene Landrigan rsj