Waitangi welcome mat laid and ready for Hawke’s Bay celebrations

Waitangi Day family celebrations have become a huge hit at Mitre10 Park. Photo NZME

“Rain or shine” the region is poised to stage the Waipureku Waitangi Day Event this Monday.

Local Waitangi Day commemorations start earlier in the day, where the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in Hawke’s Bay will be held on the banks of the Clive River, Te Awa o Mokotuararo.

This is close to Waipureku, where three chiefs - Te Hapuku, Hoani Waikato and Harawira Mahikai Te Tatere - boarded the HMS Herald on June 24, 1840 and signed the Treaty before Major Thomas Bunbury.

The reflection begins at 7.45am at Atea a Rangi, the Celestial Compass in Waitangi Park, Awatoto with a karakia, followed by a Hīkoi of Hope along Te Awa o Mokotuararo, to the haka pōwhiri by mana whenua at Farndon Park at 8.30am.

People are welcome to attend the pōwhiri whether they walked or not.

Iwi kaumatua, descendants of the signatories of Te Tiriti at Waipureku, members of Parliament, local mayors, chairs, councillors and staff, and members of the public are expected at the commemoration.

After the pōwhiri, dignitaries will be invited to speak on the significance of the day and site. They include historian Pat Parsons, as well as Keith Newman and Martin Williams. Environmental, indigenous and human rights advocate Tina Ngata will deliver a keynote speech on co-governance, followed by a Treaty workshop hosted by Tawhana and Robin Chadwick.

Hastings district councillor Ann Redstone, chairwoman of the Waipureku Waitangi Trust, which organises the event, says crowd numbers are expected to exceed the hundreds who attended the event before Covid restrictions.

Then the Ngāti Kahungunu Waitangi Day Celebrations at the Mitre 10 Park Hawke’s Bay begin at 10am and run until 4pm.

The iwi’s events manager, Te Rangi Huata, said the stage is set.

“We have free kiddies rides including the famous Mahons Rides – featuring the Hurricane, Ferris Wheel, Rocking Tug Boat, Ghost House, and Cup ‘n’ Saucer rides. There will be lots of food stalls, information stalls, health stalls and agencies to help you navigate through today’s whānau needs.

He said Waitangi Day had “created positive memories” for thousands in the local community, with more than 10,000 people attending the annual celebrations at Mitre10 Park.

“Waitangi Day celebrations were cancelled last year due to Covid-19 restrictions on events so I am so looking forward to us coming together again to celebrate family, community and nationhood in real time on our national day.”