Western Bay of Plenty: Celebrating Waitangi Day

Paula Gaelic with Hone Winder-Murray and the two flags which will fly on Waitangi Day in Katikati.

Western Bay Museum is inviting the community to its Waitangi Day commemoration.

Museum manager Paula Gaelic says Waitangi Day is a day of togetherness, unity and commemoration.

‘’We will share what Te Tiriti (Treaty of Waitangi) means from an array of cultures and ages.’’

The event is to take place on the museum forecourt for the flag ceremony where the Tino Rangatiratanga flag (the Māori flag) and the flag of New Zealand will be raised and honoured. The national anthem will be played by the Tongan Brass Band.

The Māori flag was designed for the 150-year anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. The black colour of the flag represents the darkness from where the world emerged, the white represents the physical world and the koru represents new life. Red represents coming into being and earth mother Papatūānuku.

Western Bay Museum mana whenua liaison officer Hone Winder-Murray says last year’s Waitangi Day at the museum ‘’showed us that there is an appetite to commemorate this significant day. It’s our role as a museum to conserve and share histories that make us so unique.

‘’Te Tiriti is a partnership worth acknowledging and it helps us to understand the past. Through understanding the past, we can navigate the present to create a prosperous future together.”

After the flag ceremony the event moves to the marquee behind the Arts Junction where a service takes place with speakers asked to share what the Treaty means to them.

A barbecue breakfast will be served. There are two free movies that day at the Arts Junction, Whina (9am) and Boy (12pm), tickets from the venue.

The details

What: Waitangi Day commemoration

Where: Western Bay Museum forecourt

When: February 6, 6.30am