BM
- Oct 20, 2023

Political - He Wakaputanga

Today, October 28 2023, is a sort of Independence Day, the 188th anniversary of the signing of He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tireni, the Declaration of Independence of the United Tribes of New Zealand, when 34 northern chiefs affirmed and proclaimed their rangatiratanga and kīngitanga over New Zealand.

Before we begin let's be clear, 34 NORTHERN chiefs, not those from Te Wai Pounamu (the South Island) or Wellington or Taranaki or Waikato or the Bay of Plenty.... these 34 NORTHERN chiefs sought to make a declaration on behalf of all Maori everywhere regardless of whether the others wanted it or not. Worse, the Crown agreed to the declaration without consulting ALL other chiefs and tribes of Aotearoa.

Now when those in favour of this Declaration of Independence purport that the Treaty of Waitangi is a fake treaty... let's examine the Declaration of Independence... for they make assertions for all tribes of Aotearoa's three islands with just 34 signatures of a northern group? Really?

But He Whakaputanga has been a force in the north for a long time. The north.... all but two signatures came from Northland, not Auckland, Waikato and further south... just Northland. Northland is NOT New Zealand or even Aotearoa... it is Northland or Te Tai Tokerau. In fact the name Aotearoa is actually the old name for the South Island - NOT the whole country. Maori never had a name for the whole country until after European arrived because there wasn't even a group called 'Maori', they were distinct 'and often warring' tribes in the 150 years before Cook arrived.

When the ToW was signed... Hobson himself counted 26 of 40 or so signatures at Waitangi that were Declaration of Independence signatures. So over half changed their minds and the others didn't.

In effect, neither the 'Declaration of Independence' or the 'Treaty of Waitangi' are a true countrywide 100% agreed-to documents. Both are frauds... and we state that for open debate. Very little in existence represents all Maori, for many tribes still do not agree with others.

Disagreement or non-agreement is everywhere. Even Matariki in East Polynesia, in the main, have traditions based on the heliacal (pre-dawn) rising of the Matariki constellation. However, for many peoples of West Polynesia, as well as some New Zealand Mäori, it is the star Puaka (Rigel in Orion) that heralds the New Year. Throughout Polynesia even within the two main traditions there are various local variations. More specifically, a few Mäori groups in the North Island, most of Te Wäipounamu (South Island) and Rekohu (Chatham Islands) have New Year traditions based on Puaka. Why the two different traditions among Maori? Does it mean that the groups came from a different homeland? There is much variance within Maori appearance, tools, styles, celebrations that it shows these islands were never-ever a united group and are only untied in their fight against the Crown.

Something done by a few does not automatically mean that all agreed with it. But does the majority? That would be fair, but neither document was signed by all.

Waitaha didn't sign the Treaty. They are absorbed by Ngai Tahu according to Ngai Tahu ( think about that one) yet Waitaha has received a 'T o W' payment as well... but they didn't sign anything... ever! The same goes for the Moriori, they also received a 'T o W' payment without ever signing that so called legal document.

So the declaration of Independence isn't a true Maori document at all, and neither is the Treaty of Waitangi (except where treaty payments are concerned if you see the hypocritical irony). The whole treaty situation is a gigantic money making farce.

But then again, if the treaty wasn't signed, Maori may have been ruled by the French - Imagine that!