Waitangi Day

Waitangi Day takes place every year on 6 February. Some see it as a day to celebrate the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi and the founding of New Zealand, while others may not believe the Treaty is still relevant.

The Internet provides many different perspectives and up-to-date information on the Treaty. This Hot Topic provides a starting point for further exploration.

Treaty of Waitangi and Waitangi Day Websites

Resources on TKI

Te Ao o te Tiriti
In this level 2 unit, intended for years 3–4, students identify the rights guaranteed by the Treaty of Waitangi. They explain what changed after the Treaty was signed, and describe the responsibilities people have when entering into a contract or agreement.
http://www.tki.org.nz/r/socialscience/curriculum/SSOL/treaty/index_e.php

We protest!
Aimed at year 11, level 6, in this unit students investigate either a group involved in protest about the Treaty or a group who have organised themselves to make a claim to the government about their Treaty rights.
http://www.tki.org.nz/r/socialscience/curriculum/SSOL/protest/index_e.php

Footsteps of a Nation
This Social Studies Online unit is intended for years 9–10.
www.tki.org.nz/r/socialscience/curriculum/SSOL/footsteps/index_e.php

Signatures and Symbols
This assessment material, entitled ‘Signatures and symbols’, examines art and artworks from Māori and European traditions and their contexts. It involves students researching how symbols and signatures in the artworks of selected New Zealand artists can be related to the Treaty of Waitangi.
http://www.tki.org.nz/r/ncea/visart1_1Bv2_17may01.doc

Māori and Pākehā Race Relations
This year 11 history activity uses the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography website to explore the issue of race relations within New Zealand.
http://www.tki.org.nz/r/socialscience/curriculum/dnzb/doc/m_p_race_relat.doc

Cultural Interaction: The Great Immigrations Debate
In this level 2 NCEA unit, intended for year 12, students explore the cultural identity of Māori, Pākehā, and Chinese in New Zealand society, and explain ways in which Chinese immigration to New Zealand has influenced the perceptions and responses of New Zealanders to immigration of new Chinese to New Zealand.
www.tki.org.nz/r/socialscience/curriculum/SSOL/immigration/index_e.php

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Key websites on Te Tiriti o Waitangi The Treaty of Waitangi

The Treaty of Waitangi        
Visit this site for comprehensive contemporary and historical information on the Treaty. Highlights include case studies of key claims to the Waitangi Tribunal, animated maps, and a timeline. Sign up for seminars on various themes that are sent via email and to receive the booklets series.

Produced by the Treaty of Waitangi Information Unit, this website has been contributed to by many different writers and is available in English and Māori.
http://www.treatyofwaitangi.govt.nz

Te Ara The Encyclopedia of New Zealand
Te Ara has many entries of the Treaty of Waitangi. Use the search function on the front page to find information about different aspects of the Treaty, including iwi relationships. The website has an image and media trail, and includes entries from the 1966 encyclopedia. It is available in English and Māori.
http://www.teara.govt.nz/

TREATY 2U!
A touring exhibition about the Treaty will be coming to a town near you! Check out the dates it will be in your area. The exhibition will cover the events that led up to the Treaty, from first contact between Māori and Pākehā, to lengthy debate the night before signing. It explains what is written in the documents and the crucial differences between the Māori and English versions. High quality replicas of the original treaty documents will also be on display.

The exhibition is presented by Te Papa, Archives New Zealand, and the National Library and is supported by the Treaty of Waitangi Information Unit (State Services Commission).

Check out the special resource for schools visiting the exhibition.
http://www.tepapa.govt.nz/TePapa/English/WhatsOn/ComingSoon/Treaty2U.htm

The Treaty of Waitangi Te Tiriti o Waitangi at Radio New Zealand
Radio New Zealand has produced two key collections related to the Treaty. The first explores its history and includes an audio recording of the reinactment of the signing held at the Treaty Grounds in 1990 and the Bastion Point occupation.
http://radionz.co.nz/popular/treaty/treaty_home

The second collection explores themes and ideas and includes the annual Rua Rau lecture series, a series of debates held at Te Papa last year and various programmes produced by Radio New Zealand. Commentators include Ranginui Walker, Dr Joan Metge, Whatarangi Winiata, and others.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/popular/treaty/related_programmes

The Treaty of Waitangi
Find out what happened to the Treaty document since it was signed at Waitangi.
http://www.archives.govt.nz/exhibitions/permanentexhibitions/treaty.php

Signs of a Nation
The online part of the permanent exhibition on the Treaty of Waitangi in Te Papa, highlights the eyewitness accounts of the Treaty signing, explains the translation and provides a very comprehensive timeline of New Zealand history.
http://tpo.tepapa.govt.nz/ViewExhibitionDetail.asp?Language=English&ExhibitionID=0x000a428f

The Waitangi Treaty Grounds         
Recently updated this site provides basic information about the history and taonga on the Treaty Grounds. Teachers can download a PDF document with information on how to book and prepare for a visit to the Treaty Grounds.
www.waitangi.net.nz

Signatories to the Treaty of Waitangi
This part of the NZHistory.net website has information about the Treaty of Waitangi, records of its signatories, and links to related sites.
http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/Gallery/treaty-sigs/index.htm

The Principals of the Treaty of Waitangi
Click here for access to He Tirohanga ō Kawa ki te Tiriti o Waitangi: A guide to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi as expressed by the Courts and the Waitangi Tribunal. This publication is useful for teachers and upper secondary students.
http://www.tpk.govt.nz/publications/subject/default.asp#gov

eNZed, Ancient and Modern History
Learn about the history of the Treaty. This site has interesting links on the time leading up to the signing of the Treaty.
http://www.enzed.com/hist.html

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The Waitangi Tribunal

Waitangi Tribunal
http://www.waitangitribunal.govt.nz/

Office of Treaty Settlements
This site is an introduction to the Crown office responsible for negotiating Treaty of Waitangi claims. It features recent developments in Treaty negotiations and implementation of settlements, background information, and online deeds and publications.
http://www.ots.govt.nz

Indigenous People and the Law       
Upper secondary students can use this site to access academic opinion on issues around the law and indigenous people. This article is on values and ethics in Māori research, especially the work of the Waitangi Tribunal. http://www.kennett.co.nz/law/indigenous/1999/39.html

Human rights and the Treaty
This site is part of the Human Rights Commission strategy looking at human rights and Treaty rights in contemporary New Zealand. Unique to this site are personal stories from members of the public on the Treaty of Waitangi and case studies of people wanting to protect or enable their Treaty rights. The site would be useful for upper secondary.
http://www.hrc.co.nz/index.php?p=23986

Treaty of Waitangi
This page has access to political parties’ policies on the Treaty of Waitangi. It is useful for teachers and upper secondary.
http://www.policy.net.nz/tw.shtml

Please note: These links were valid when this page was posted. However the Web is very volatile, and TKI has no control over outside websites. Please let us know if you find anything inappropriate, if you find a broken link, or if you have an update for a link by emailing links@tki.org.nz. Te Kete Ipurangi recommends that teachers view all websites we link to before using them with students.

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