He rā whakatā ā-ture te tuaono o Pēpuere i Aotearoa, ā, e kīia ana ko Te Rā o Waitangi. He rangi whakanui tēnei i te hainatanga o Te Tiriti o Waitangi e ngā tangata whai o Ingarangi me te iwi Māori i te tau 1840.
Ko te iwi Māori ngā tangata tuatahi i noho ki Aotearoa, heoi, nō ngā tau 1830 i piki ake ai te tokomaha o ngā tangata whai nō Ingarangi i tatū mai ki tēnei whenua.
I aua wā rā, karekau he kāwanatanga, karekau he pirihimana, karekau rānei he ture i Aotearoa, ka mutu, ka mahi ngā tāngata whai i tā rātou i hiahia ai. Nā tēnei i pīrangitia ai tētahi rangapū i waenganui i a rātou me te iwi Māori.
I tuhia e ngā rangatira o te Karauna tētahi kawenata kia tau ai te noho a te iwi Māori me ngā tāngata whai, ā, ka tapaina te kawenata nei ko Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Ahakoa i waihangahia tēnei tiriti i runga i te whakaaro pai, i kitea ōna raru i muri tata i tōna hainatanga – mātāmua rā ko ngā rerekētanga i waenganui i te kape Māori me te kape Pākehā. E tohea tonutia ana ēnei rerekētanga i tēnei rā tonu.
Ahakoa kāore ngā kupu o Te Tiriti o Waitangi i whai mana mō ngā tau maha, kua tīmata tā te Karauna whakamana i ētahi o ōna oati.
Ki te pīrangitia ētahi atu kōrero mō Te Tiriti o Waitangi, tēnā, mātakina te kiriata ‘The Big Problem with the Treaty of Waitangi’.
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ENGLISH TRANSLATION
This week in History: Waitangi Day, more than a day off.
The 6th of February is a national holiday called Waitangi Day. The day commemorates the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi by British settlers and Māori in Waitangi in 1840. Although you might have heard of The Treaty of Waitangi, you might be thinking ‘what does the Treaty of Waitangi mean?’.
Māori were the first settlers of Aotearoa, and the numbers of British settling were increasing very fast from 1830 onwards. There were no Government, Police or rules at that time in Aotearoa and many people did whatever they wanted.
This led to British and Māori wanting to create a partnership. British leaders wrote an agreement called the Treaty of Waitangi, to guide Māori and British settlers in living together peacefully and feel safe.
Although, intentions were good, a big problem was identified very soon after the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. The problem was that there were two versions of the Treaty of Waitangi created. One written in English and one that was translated into Māori, and they do not have the same meaning.
While British leaders and a few rangatira signed the English version. Most rangatira signed the Māori version. This problem caused many issues that are still being debated today.
Although, the Treaty of Waitangi was ignored for a long time after the signing, the Government has taken and is taking steps to honour some of the promises made. The Treaty of Waitangi is Aotearoa’s founding document and all citizens of Aotearoa should have an understanding of it.
If you are keen to know more, watch Hahana’s easy to understand video “The Big Problem with the Treaty of Waitangi” here: Hahana Kids: The BIG problem with the Treaty of Waitangi.
