Treaty of Waitangi

The Treaty of Waitangi has been around for a long time. It was signed on the 6th of February 1840 by the British government and Maori chiefs in the Bay of Islands. It was made because there was too much conflict between the Maori’s and British settlers. First William Hobson and James Busby made a draft of the treaty.

Last week our class watched a re-enactment of the treaty. The people gathered around in a Marquee and British flags were everywhere. Henry Williams stood by William Hobson translating everything he said into Maori. Most chiefs were angry and didn’t want the British to live on their land. The English treaty said that the Maoris could keep their leadership and the chiefs could keep their land and taonga under the rights of the British subjects.

Hone Heke was the first out of 40 chiefs to sign the treaty. Other chiefs followed and in that year over 500 other Maori had signed the treaty including 13 women.  Some Maori’s didn’t even sign the treaty.

The three P’s fit into the Pt England way in a lot of ways. We Participate in many sport and activities, class and school events and things after school. People protect one another and things they love. With partnership we work together and co-operate with each other.

The Treaty of Waitangi was great moment in the past because it brought peace to British and Pakeha in New Zealand. But it didn’t last long.