Source: New Zealand Governor General
Toitū Kāhui tangata
Ka Haea te ata,
ka Hāpara te ata
Ka korokī te manu
Ka wairori te kutu
Ko te ata nui, ka horaina
Ka Taki te umere,
He po, he po, he ao
ka awatea.
E koro, ….Matiu,
Kua tatū mai ō rahi ki te whakanui i te kaupapa o te rā, arā , Te Taraipiunara o Waitangi rima te kau tau ki muri, whakaara mai ai.
Hoki wairua mai!, Hoki wairua mai!
Hoki wairua mai!
Koutou, tātou kua tatū mai i runga i te reo karanga o te rā,
Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa
[Be alert for this is a gathering of great significance. As the dawn breaks, and we hear the birds call, we move from the time of darkness to the new era of enlightenment. Each new dawn enables us to embrace new knowledge, to be inspired by the possibilities that rise in front of us.
Matiu(Rata) We have arrived to celebrate 50 years of the Waitangi Tribunal, which was begun under your watch. Return in spirit to embrace your people, as we celebrate its journey.]
To one and all gathered here today, greetings.
I specifically acknowledge:
Distinguished members of the judiciary, including the Honourable Chief Justice Helen Winkelmann, Chief Justice of New Zealand, and
The Honourable Chief Justice Debra Mortimer, Chief Justice of the Federal Court of Australia,
Ministers of the Crown,
Members of Parliament,
Ngati Kawa, Ngati Rahiri, Ngati Hine and Ngati Kuri representatives,
Bishop Te Kitohi Pikaahu and Dame Claudia Orange.
I am truly honoured to take part in the opening of this exhibition commemorating the first 50 years of the Waitangi Tribunal.
How fitting that He Kura Toi Tangata begin its tour of Aotearoa here in Waitangi – te pito te whenua – where Te Tiriti, the foundational document for the Tribunal’s work, was conceived in its English and te reo Māori iterations – and was signed by rangatira, as well as my earliest antecedent in this role, Captain William Hobson.
Kō ngā tahu ā ō tapuwai inanahi, hei tauira mō āpōpō. The footsteps laid down by our ancestors create the paving stones upon which we stand today.
Retrospectives challenge us to consider and compare how we were in the past, with how we are today. This exhibition will prompt us to reflect on the impacts and achievements of the Waitangi Tribunal over the past 50 years, and the ways they are woven through our story as a nation.
From its small beginnings; to the gradual additions to its powers, Members and support staff; to its ground-breaking reports – the Tribunal has become a vital forum for the airing of concerns about a wide range of issues; for the seeking of redress for past wrongs; and for exploring the meaning of Te Tiriti as it pertains to the contemporary world.
The Tribunal has achieved so much, whether it be in greater public awareness of Te Tiriti and te ao Māori, in contributions to legislative development and new institutions, and of course, in the Treaty Settlement process.
Tonight, I particularly want to pay homage to those claimants who spent many decades of their lives toiling on behalf of their hapu or iwi – often at great personal cost – and sometimes not living long enough to see the resolution of those claims.
In addition, I want to acknowledge all who have been involved in working with the Tribunal, including those behind the scenes. Sir Doug Graham observed that the Treaty Settlements in the 1990s would not have been possible without the Tribunal’s research and deliberations – which, incidentally, included research undertaken by our current Minister of Justice, the Honourable Paul Goldsmith, during his time with the Tribunal. The research done by, and presented to the Tribunal over its 50 years is an immensely valuable resource for all New Zealanders.
On behalf of the people of New Zealand, I thank Members – past and present – for their willingness to grapple with complex histories and contentious issues, and to make recommendations that have often been at the leading edge of the practical application of te Tiriti. As Sir Doug said: “They have done their country proud”.
I hope the more difficult moments were balanced by moments of intense satisfaction – whether it be enabling histories to be heard and recorded for posterity – or providing a forum for debate about emerging societal, cultural or environmental issues.
There is so much to learn from the lessons of history uncovered during the Tribunal process. The Tribunal’s recommendations have, in turn, become part of the historical record.
If Matiu Rata could have been with us tonight, how proud he would have been to celebrate his legacy with you all – and to honour the people who played their part in taking the Waitangi Tribunal forward on its journey.
Congratulations to everyone here tonight who has been involved in the Tribunal process to date, as well as all those involved in the making of this powerful and timely exhibition. I am delighted to now formally open He Kura Toi Tangata: 50 years of the Waitangi Tribunal, 1975-2025.