Anticipated to draw the largest crowds in 30 years, this weekend’s commemoration of New Zealand’s founding document signing in Waitangi is significant. Indigenous Maori aim to address and protest perceived detrimental policies.
The focal event on Feb. 6 honors the 1840 signing of the Treaty of Waitangi between the British Crown and over 500 Maori chiefs.
On Saturday, politicians, Maori leaders, and the public will converge in the small seaside town of Waitangi. Pita Tipene, Chairman of the Waitangi National Trust board overseeing the event, foresees a turnout exceeding 60,000. This would mark the largest assembly since 1990, encompassing concerts, stalls, political meetings, and speeches during the Waitangi Day events.
Pita Tipene, Chairman of the Waitangi National Trust board, highlighted the town as a space for dialogue. He explained the expected surge in attendees, noting people’s eagerness to listen, express frustration, and voice anger against perceived government policy outcomes.
The recently established center-right coalition in New Zealand, inaugurated late last year, pledges to reverse policies from prior administrations. Of particular focus are measures supporting the official use of the Maori language and initiatives aimed at improving Indigenous living standards and rights.
The government plans to introduce a bill, without a guarantee of passage, to reinterpret the Treaty of Waitangi. Critics argue that these actions represent the most substantial regression in Maori rights in decades, prompting some to pursue legal avenues against the government. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, in recent weeks, has sought to allay concerns, reassuring that the document’s reinterpretation is not imminent or under threat.
“We are incredibly proud about it (the treaty) and there is no change to the treaty coming,” he told media on Friday.
Waitangi celebrations have a history of incorporating protests; in 1995, official events were canceled due to public anger over government policies. In 2016, a noteworthy incident occurred when a protester, objecting to a trade agreement, threw a dildo that struck a minister in the face.