Sorrow and hope shared at Motueka’s Waitangi commemorations

“My history, which is actually your history, which is actually our history.”

Donna McLeod (Te Ātiawa) was one of several speakers at the Te Āwhina Marae on Waitangi Day, addressing the gathered crowd with messages of hope, sorrow and unity.

Donna reached out to the audience of both mana whenua and visitors to the marae, saying that she wanted to acknowledge the Motueka locals who had never been to the marae before.

“Let us awhi [embrace] and let us bring our community together.”

Ropata Stephens (Ngati Rarua and Te Ātiawa, whose mother was from Tauranga Moana) shared that, growing up, he was “not really proud of being Māori”. His nickname as a kid was “Hori”, which he hated, and he found ways to cope and live positively.

That pride shone through as Ropata talked about his ancestors who navigated the water to New Zealand, and he grasped a tissue to wipe away tears as the Treaty of Waitangi/ Te Tiriti o Waitangi was read to the crowd.

“There was so much promise in those words, and they weren’t honoured.”

He told the waewae tapu/ newcomers that when it came to the schooling system and the local curriculum, “we don’t want to turn your children into Māori – that’s not the goal.  What we want to do with them is teach them these stories… so that they become rich, as New Zealanders”.

Lawyer Kerensa Johnston (Ngāti Tama, Ngāruahine, Te Ātiawa, Ngāti Whāwhakia) spoke of the background and significance of the Nelson Tenths court case, before Tasman mayor Tim King stood to address the crowd.

He offered solidarity with manu whenua by offering a whakataukī/ proverb that translates as, “When we stand alone, we are vulnerable.  When we stand together, we are unbreakable.”