Pukehinahina Charitable Trust project director Buddy Mikaere. Photo / File
Pukehinahina Charitable Trust project director Buddy Mikaere. Photo / File
With Waitangi Day events online or cancelled, the community is invited to celebrate Aotearoa New Zealand with whānau at home.
Due to red traffic light restrictions, the Tauranga Moana Waitangi Day dawn service will be online and the all-day Tauranga Moana Waitangi Day Festival is cancelled.
The national day commemorates the signing of the country's founding document, Te Tiriti o Waitangi, the Treaty of Waitangi, on February 6, 1840.
Ngāi Te Rangi's chief executive Paora Stanley said it was a shame the Tauranga Moana Waitangi Day service would be online.
"The world at this moment in time won't last forever. What will last forever is our relationships with each other.
"You have to be grateful for whatever little gains that you can make and to be able to see it online is a really neat thing."
Ngāi Te Rangi's chief executive Paora Stanley. Photo / File
The dawn service will be livestreamed from 6.30am on February 6. The livestream can be accessed here.
During the event, viewers will be able to watch karakia, hymns, guest speakers, waiata and kapa haka. The ceremony will conclude with a closing karakia about 7.50am.
Stanley said Waitangi Day was about approaching hard conversations.
He said he wanted young Māori to grow up in a world where they could make real contributions to important decisions.
Stanley said on a daily basis Māori were putting themselves on the battlefield for others.
Stanley wants the nation to "engage in a meaningful way".
"That's the whole thing about Waitangi, let's be meaningful to and with each other ... we do it every day in our homes.
"Every day we are improving our nationhood and the way we operate together in the relationships that we have."
Pukehinahina Charitable Trust project director Buddy Mikaere estimated 7000 people were at the Tauranga Moana Waitangi Day Festival last year and 10,000 were expected this year.
"I'm just disappointed for us and for the community 'cause it's been getting bigger and bigger every year."
Mikaere said Waitangi Day events were important because "it's our national day, it's a day to celebrate not just the treaty but celebrate community and what a diverse group we are".
He said people should celebrate at home with whānau, safely.
"I know that most people just see it as another day off but if they could spare a thought for the fact that it is our national day as the day we celebrate being Aotearoa New Zealand."
Mikaere said some sponsors had offered this year's funding to be used for next year's Waitangi event.
"Next year we'll be back and even better."
An organising committee, with members from the council, Whareroa Marae committee, Ngāi Tukairangi, Māori Wardens, Te Kohinga Network, Western Bay of Plenty District Council, Bay of Plenty Regional Council and the Tauranga Church Community understood the importance of continuing the tradition of recognising Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Tauranga City Council's Te Pou Takawaenga team leader, Keren Paekau said about 300 people were expected at the virtual dawn service.
She said, "the committee is excited to be able to still hold this event, even though we can't all be together in person".
"The Tauranga Moana Waitangi Day dawn service is guided by the principle of whanaungatanga. The committee wants to provide an opportunity for our Tauranga community to come together to commemorate the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in a positive and friendly environment," she said.
