My Waitangi Day

When we lived at Paihia, in the neighbourhood of Te Tii Marae, Waitangi was the climax of summer. Over the holiday period starting at Christmas, thousands of people would visit the Bay; the crowd numbers would build up towards early February, and by Waitangi Day the whole place would be crowded with people.

Each year we would spend part of Waitangi Day at the Treaty Grounds, watching the celebrations and listening to the speeches; Norman Kirk and Rob Muldoon come to mind.

One year the school I worked at was asked to present a re-enactment of the signing of the Treaty and it was my job to produce that, with the help of the navy, who taught the boys how to salute with swords, and fired a 21-gun salute when our acted Governor Hobson came on to the Treaty lawn.

So I have many interesting memories, and lots of ideas associated with the day.

In particular, there are the historical figures who took part in the first events in 1840: Hone Heke, Hobson, Tamati Waka Nene, Williams, and many others. Specially, Colenso, who wrote notes of all the speeches.

And the people I have worked with or known during my life, who were involved in efforts to improve relations between Maori and Pakeha, and in working for the Maori community: Sir James Henare, John Rangihau, Sonny Waru, Bill Kaitoa, and Kath Rangi, among others.

Then there are the questions: why did the settlers come here; why were the Maori leaders prepared to sign; what did those people understand they were doing?

My great-great-grandfather, Joshua Robinson, arrived in Auckland a few months later; I wonder what he thought.

And what were the events going on in the years leading up to the signing, and in countries around the world in similar situations?

Each of these points deserves a long discussion on its own; I will try to post more detail over the next few weeks.

This afternoon the family who are here are heading for the beach at Urenui for a relaxing family time.