Aotearoa New Zealand celebrated Waitangi Day on February 6, marking 185 years since the signing of the country鈥檚 founding document聽te Tiriti o Waitangi (The Treaty of Waitangi).
Te Tiriti is named after the township in the far north of the country where it was first signed in 1840.
The agreement was signed by 惭腻辞谤颈 chiefs and representatives of the British Crown. It outlines a set of principles upon which the new country was founded, and is instrumental in upholding 惭腻辞谤颈 rights.
This year鈥檚 celebrations were held during a period of strained race relations between 惭腻辞谤颈 and the Crown.聽
Since coming to power in November 2023, Aotearoa鈥檚 conservative coalition, led by the National party, has consistently attacked and undermined the rights of 惭腻辞谤颈 people.
The minor parties of the coalition, ACT and NZ First, have managed to implement some of their most right-wing, racist policies as part of their coalition agreements with National.
The 惭腻辞谤颈 Health Authority 鈥 which was established by the previous Labour government to provide equitable health outcomes for 惭腻辞谤颈 鈥 has now been dismantled. Government entities have been directed to communicate primarily in English instead of te reo 惭腻辞谤颈 (惭腻辞谤颈 language), and 惭腻辞谤颈 names have been removed from government agencies.
The most divisive policy, however, has been the controversial聽Treaty Principles Bill, which was introduced as part of ACT鈥檚 coalition agreement with National.
ACT鈥檚 bill seeks to 鈥渞edefine鈥 the principles of te Tiriti in a way that would fundamentally change the partnership between 惭腻辞谤颈 and the Crown. It aims to establish the Crown鈥檚 sovereignty over 惭腻辞谤颈 once and for all.
The bill is not expected to become law, however, as ACT鈥檚 coalition partners have stated they will not support it beyond its first reading in parliament.
Protests against the bill culminated in December鈥檚 historic h墨koi m艒 te Tiriti (march for the Treaty), organised by the activist group Toitu te Tiriti (Honour the Treaty). Tens of thousands of people marched聽the length of the North Island in what is believed to be the largest protest ever to arrive at parliament in Wellington.
Thousands聽gather each year on the treaty grounds in Waitangi to celebrate the national holiday. Events are held over several days including concerts, panels and cultural performances.
David Seymour 鈥 leader of the ACT party and the main proponent of the bill 鈥 is聽part-惭腻辞谤颈. His聽丑补辫奴 (sub-tribe)聽Ng膩ti R膿hia formally requested that he not attend commemorations in Waitangi this year,聽聽they 鈥渄o not believe it would be an appropriate decision鈥 while the bill is being progressed.
Seymour turned up anyway, as parliament was invited by the Waitangi National Trust.
A 辫艒飞丑颈谤颈 (welcome ceremony) for ministers was held on the eve of Waitangi Day and Seymour鈥檚 speech there was, predictably, controversial.
惭腻辞谤颈 飞腻丑颈苍别 (women) led a protest against him, turning their backs and singing over him while he was speaking.
His microphone was twice removed, and then returned,聽ensuring the crowd could not hear large parts of his provocative address.
Responding to the protests聽he said: 鈥淗ere are some problems that you can鈥檛 turn your back on because the numbers do not lie. 惭腻辞谤颈 home ownership. 惭腻辞谤颈 school attendance. 惭腻辞谤颈 victimisation by criminals. 惭腻辞谤颈 unemployment. 惭腻辞谤颈 income and life expectancy 鈥 None of it is getting better.鈥
Seymour鈥檚 disingenuous comments highlight that the only 鈥渟pecial treatment鈥 惭腻辞谤颈 receive in Aotearoa are worse outcomes across multiple social, economic and health indicators.
In a break from tradition, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon chose to stay away from the commemorations at the treaty grounds. Instead, he attended a Waitangi Day event聽at 艑nuku marae near Akaroa in the South Island.
It was controversial, given Luxon聽聽in December that the relationship between the Crown and 惭腻辞谤颈 is 鈥減robably worse鈥 since the coalition government came to power.
His appearance in Akaroa was disrupted, however, by pro-Palestine protesters. They heckled and chanted, drowning out his speech from outside the marae: one protester was聽eventually聽arrested for breaching the peace.
Labour leader Chris Hipkins criticised Luxon鈥檚 decision not to travel to the far north, 聽he 鈥渟hould be at Waitangi to face division he鈥檚 allowed鈥.
On Waitangi Day,聽hundreds gathered at the treaty grounds for the annual dawn service. 惭腻辞谤颈 elders, politicians and church leaders gave speeches and led prayers.
The ceremony is traditionally not a political event. However, this years鈥 service featured a mixture of reflection and political discourse, with multiple speakers calling for a deeper commitment to te Tiriti.
The Human Rights Commission's co-chief executive Julia Whaipooti said afterwards that the spirit of Waitangi remains strong despite the charged political atmosphere.
She described the morning鈥檚 events as a 鈥渞eally beautiful gathering of people鈥, highlighting how tangata whenua (indigenous people) and non-惭腻辞谤颈 had come together to 鈥渞ecognise the promises of te Tiriti o Waitangi鈥.