‘A long way to go yet’: Big Waitangi Day turnout in Hawke’s Bay sparks conversation for the future

The hikoi from Ātea a Rangi, in the Waitangi regional park, makes its way alongside the Clive River. Photo / Warren Buckland

Hawke’s Bay’s celebration of Waitangi Day drew big and respectful crowds and started important conversations about how the region should grapple with the nation’s founding document in the future.

“There’s a long way to go yet,” said Napier MP Stuart Nash of the journey ahead.

As an MP for 12 of the last 15 years and a Cabinet Minister for the last five and a half, Nash says he’s worked closely with Māori leaders in his portfolio responsibilities of Revenue, Fisheries, Tourism, Economic and Regional Development, Forestry and now Police.

But it still concerns him that people who don’t understand co-governance are intent on misinterpreting its meaning.

He says there is “nothing to be afraid” of in the partnership and there is a need to be “talking with each other”.

Pupils of Hukarere College revelled in welcoming the hikoi at the Clive Waitangi Day commemoration. Photo / Warren Buckland

Having walked with about 200 others from Ātea a Rangi, the Celestial Compass in Waitangi Park, Awatoto, Nash was one of several who spoke at the commemoration – in which issues ranged from the contemporary political debate around co-governance to the proposed restoration of a historic name for the Clive River, which the commemoration took place on the banks of.

Among the speakers was researcher Tina Ngata, who also zeroed in on issues of co-governance which have emerged most in the Government’s Three Waters proposals, which themselves emerged from Commission of Inquiry recommendations after a crisis with the water just a few kilometres away at Havelock North in 2016.

After the commemoration, attention moved to the Mitre 10 Regional Sports Park in Hastings for Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated’s big day out.

Gathering for the hikoi from the celestial compass in Waitangi regional park at Awatoto to Waitangi Day commemoration at Clive. Photo / Warren Bukland

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council chairwoman Hinewai Ormsby, who spoke of “recommitting to the partnership”, said the turnouts were easily the biggest she’d seen in about four years of involvement with commemorations at Clive and Waipureku, off where chiefs signed the Treaty on behalf of Heretaunga hapū.

She said there were well over 5000 people at the sports park.