The smooth sounds of reggae and the smell of cooking kai were centre-stage at Patea's Paepae in the Park Waitangi Day celebrations yesterday.
The event opened with a short powhiri and speech by South Taranaki Deputy Mayor Alex Ballantyne, who quipped that the Treaty was signed and "nek minute" there was a century-and-a-half of injustice. However, there was another "nek minute" and we were living it now, he said.
New Zealanders were living in an era of hope, worthy of celebration like that of yesterday's event: "Quite certainly, Maori will never lie down again."
Whanganui MP Chester Borrows was also at the Patea celebrations, but said he was not expecting to make it to the Wanganui celebrations in Moutoa Gardens due to other commitments and the need to return to Wellington.
Mr Borrows, a former South Taranaki policeman, said he had strong ties to Patea and had been a regular at the Paepae in the Park. Waitangi Day celebrations "just make it real", he said.