Source: New Zealand Governor General
Mai i te kore, ki te pō,
ki te ao marama,
ko te ara o te tika,
ko te ara o te pono tēnā
e kōkiri mō te whakatipuranga
ō āpōpō.
He aha tēnā o ngā oāti
e whakapono atu nei e tatou,
e te iwi.
Hākoa te kaupapa e pikau atu nei,
me kawe i roto i te aroha, i te ture,
me te whakapono.
Maranga mai e te iwi
E ngā hapu mano tini
Ma te atua tatou te iwi e arāhī!
Kei āku nui
Kei āku rahi
Tena koutou
Tena koutou
Tena tatou katoa
Tau ana!
[From the nothingness, to the night, to the world of light, of understanding
We seek the pathway that is right
We seek the pathway of truth
In the faith that the legacy we leave is for the now and the future generations.
Whatever the kaupapa at hand, we must, seek the truth, with compassion, and with conviction and with belief.
Arise e te iwi
Arise e ngā hapu
May we be guided by the creator
To the assembled multitudes
Greetings to one and all.]
Few places in Aotearoa New Zealand can match the complex legacy of the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. As a wāhine Māori with whakapapa to the people of this place – and as the 37th person to serve as Governor or Governor-General – I am deeply connected and committed to this whenua and te pito o te whenua – and it is my privilege to speak here, on this, our nation’s marae.
When James Busby constructed his house here in 1833, these grounds were an isolated outpost of British influence. Two years later, he joined my tupuna here at the signing of He Whakaputanga – and in 1840, it became the place where two peoples – of very different world views – committed themselves to a new kind of relationship in Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
By 1932, these grounds – like the Treaty itself – were neglected and largely ignored by the powers that be. When Lord Bledisloe was brought here, and heard the history, he resolved to buy the property and gift it to the nation, so that it could become a place of pilgrimage for all New Zealanders.
To enable both signatories to be represented on these grounds, Sir Āpirana Ngata led the construction of Te Whare Runanga – to complement the Treaty House and represent the iwi Māori of Aotearoa.
This taumata was to be where the signatories of Te Tiriti could meet in dialogue. It has continued to play a role in growing our relationship.
The 1940 Waitangi centenary commemorations have gifted us an iconic image of Sir Āpirana Ngata, leading a vigorous haka in celebration of the opening of Te Whare Runanga. It so perfectly captures his passion to revive pride in Māoritanga. His efforts, along with that of countless others, have borne fruit in the 21st century with the revival of te reo Māori, celebration of waiata and kapa haka with Te Matatini, and te Ao Māori reflected in film, literature, music, and performance.
In 1835, our tipuna who signed He Whakaputanga wanted to consolidate their ability to be successful producers, entrepreneurs and traders. A century later, Sir Apirana Ngata was also driven to develop a stronger economic base for iwi Māori, with his vision of wellbeing and prosperity in all facets of life.
As guardians of these grounds, the Waitangi National Trust Board has helped generations of New Zealanders to better understand the impact of our history, most recently in the two magnificent museums on this site. The new exhibition at The Museum of Waitangi Te Kongahu – He Kura Toi Tangata, which marks 50 years since the Waitangi Tribunal was established, reminds us of the histories uncovered during the Tribunal’s enquiries, the impact of its work, and its many achievements.
So many of us will have vivid memories of times spent here. We feel the wairua of those who have stood and spoken and are no longer with us – and in time, we too will become part of the story of the Treaty Grounds.
Whatungarongaro te tangata, toitū te whenua.
Our mokopuna will continue the work of our tupuna and I am confident they will be better placed than my generation to take up the mantle of responsibility. They are hopefully better informed by history, they understand the need to care for the planet, and they are more used to living with complex identities in the 21st century.
Let us therefore reflect on our journey in this beautiful country at Waitangi, and our part in its ongoing legacy.
![Journey Planner [JPG, 721 KB]](/assets/media-releases/img/20250203-sh1-topuni-truck.jpg){kind=link}