A meeting was called today by the Chair of the Waitangi National Trust to discuss moving the cultural traditions of Te Tii Waitangi Marae to the treaty grounds for Waitangi day commemorations.
Discussions to host next year's pre-Waitangi Day formal welcome at the upper treaty grounds was the topic of discussion today.
Ngāti Rāhiri descendant Emma Gibbs-Smith says, “What's important is that I would never agree to move the customs of this marae to a place controlled by Pākehā. Whether they're good or bad, the elder spokesmen of this marae are my elders. I would never agree to hand over the customs they practise to a Pākehā organisation to manage on our behalf.”
This issue arose due to anger at the government's signing of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal in the days leading up to this year's Waitangi Day celebrations.
Waka voyager Hekenukumai Busby says, “My elders always said that irrespective of that fact that you're my enemy, if you come to my home, then I must treat you like any other guest. The way I see it is that there are too many chiefs here and what I'd like to see is unity. Let's get on with what needs to be done.”
Trustees say it was the Prime Minister's own decision not to come on Te Tii Marae on Waitangi Day despite a guarantee from the marae that he'd be safe.
“The treasure on the treaty grounds was given by Tau Henare so they never forget that Māori are their treaty partner. But I would never agree to move our customs to the treaty grounds,” says Gibbs-Smith.
Discussions over whether to move the formal welcome to the treaty grounds will continue.