2017-10 Waitangi Treaty Grounds

Haruru Falls

This morning, we started the day with a beautiful 5 km walk from Haruru Falls to Waitangi Treaty Grounds. Spacing out from the rest of the group, I enjoyed a solitary stroll through the pristine woodlands. Along the way, I encountered large birds hanging out in the trees. Apparently some type of crane, as they were standing on one leg. There were also large black and white birds roosting. Also seen on the walk were a large old tree, a mangrove grove, fish and birds with little black tufts on their heads. The mangrove section was really interesting. It looked like sitting water with a bunch of tubular plants growing up in it. However, the tubular plants are really part of the mangrove tree: they are the breathing tubs for the tree, rising from the roots, which are always covered in water.

Mangroves. Those vertical items sticking up from the water are the tree roots' breathing tubes

The 5 km walk ended at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. There, we took the guided tour, which I’d highly recommend. The guide was passionate and knowledgeable. The tour was set-up with individual radios with earpieces so that we could catch everything the guide was saying, even though we were quite a large group. In fact, it was probably the quietest tour that I’ve taken around a site, with everyone listening intently on their earpieces.

War canoe from the stern post

Our first stop within the Waitangi Treaty Grounds was the War Canoes. These were built to celebrate the 100 year anniversary of the Waitangi Treaty signing in 1840 and were launched in 1940. Instead of the traditional flax cords, these are held together by nylon. The flax cords had the benefit of constricting once wet, tightening the ship together. The largest ship, built out of three kauri trees, weighs a total of 6 tons. This is before all the paddlers get into it. After it’s maiden voyage, it weighed 12 tons because of how waterlogged it became. Instead of a rudder at the back, there is a stern post lashed on that rises into the air. The purpose of this stern post is to keep the canoe from tipping over. The paddlers can’t even sit down. The boards across the ship are for them to rest their backs against while they are standing. Along the top rim of the canoe, there are various decorations. Along the side of the hull there are grooves. The canoes are far from just decorative: they are launched each February 6 on Waitangi Day.

United Tribes of New Zealand flag

Next, our guide walked us over to the flagpole, where there are three flags flying. Perhaps the most interesting of these is the United Tribes of New Zealand flag from 1834. The local Maori chieftains chose this flag to represent New Zealand. It contains the four stars of the Southern Cross, which are still present in New Zealand's flag today. New Zealanders like to point out that they had a flag before Australia. However, after the Waitangi Treaty was signed in 1840, the British removed the United Tribes of New Zealand from the flagpole in the town nearby (Russell) and instead flew the Union Jack (Great Britain's flag). One of the local Moari chiefs, Hone Heke, protested against this show of New Zealand being part of Great Britain by chopping down the flagpole. The British governor would re-erect the flagpole; and, Hone Heke chopped it down again and again and again. This was the beginning of the Northern Wars from 1845-1846.

During the Northern Wars, Kawati, a Moari chief, barricaded himself into a "pa" or fort with his warriors and children. The Governor Fitzroy attacked the pa; and, eventually, the Maori left, melting into the forest to build a new fort. The Governor didn’t believe his spies who told him that the Maori were just fine until he entered the original pa. Then, the new Governor Grey went after Kawati in his new forest pa. However, Kawati had done a great job of barricading himself and his men in the middle of his new fort. His entire intention was to withstand the cannons and firearms of the British. He did this by digging bunkers and tunnels between the areas of the fort. There were zig zag walls to attack at various angles. In fact, the British were so impressed with Kawati’s fort that they used the same methods in WWI, which was then known as Trench Warfare.

Our "chief" being welcomed at the Meeting House

Our next stop on tour was the Carved Meeting House, a house built and opened in 1940 to face the Treaty House, Busby's original residence that was closed for remodeling the day we visited. The houses are facing each other as equal parties to the Treaty. Outside of the Meeting House, we were welcomed by the Maori doing a impressive and slightly frightening welcoming dance. The men performed a highly choreographed seeming attack with their spears and angry looking faces. The lead man even came all the way up to our volunteered “chief” from the crowd, thrusting his spear at him a couple of times with a menacing looking face. Our “chief” had to bend down, pick up the leaf peace offering without losing eyesight of the Maori poised in front of him with a spear and slowly back up. Then, we were all invited into the Carved Meeting House for a show.

Showing off taiaha skills

The show consisted of singing and showmanship with a few different weapons. It was very entertaining! The meeting house itself is beautifully carved. We had to leave our shoes outside the door.

Bust with traditional facial tattoos

After all the excitement, I made a trip to the Museum. The museum was informative and gave equal coverage to both Maori and European New Zealand history. Even entering it, there were parallel information on the Maori and the Europeans. Then, throughout the museum, there would be an exhibit with a Maori and an accompanying European. One room dealt entirely with the two treaties and the discrepancies. There was even a 14 minute video on the treaty signing, mostly with Maori talking about what they thought of the treaty.