Tamatha writes on what Waitangi Day means to her & how we as individuals can honor Te Tiriti through the power of knowledge.
"It’s more than just a day to me. It’s more than February 6th. If you think it’s only relevant to Māori, I feel bad for you. We are missing out on a world of abundance that we were promised, By right of living in Aotearoa. Te Tiriti is a promise. Te Tiriti is an aspiration. Te Tiriti is a seed."
Te Tiriti o Waitangi
It’s more than just a day to me. It’s more than February 6th.
If you think it’s only relevant to Māori, I feel bad for you. We are missing out on a world of abundance that we were promised, By right of living in Aotearoa.
Te Tiriti is a promise. Te Tiriti is an aspiration. Te Tiriti is a seed.
It’s the past, present and the future. It’s all we have.
Te Tiriti holds space for... The descendants of this whenua. Families coming to these shores seeking refuge. Papatūānuku, our earth mother. The under dog. Our wildest dreams.
We just want freedom. We want self-determination. We’re sick of being on Police 10/7. We’re sick of our ancestors being desecrated. We’re sick of being over-incarcerated.
But surely you can see that these fragile systems we keep in place serve me about as much as they serve you. Even if you’re privileged, you can’t eat your money and we’re all sinking. Colonialism, capitalism, climate change.
Why is it easier to imagine the end of the world than it is to imagine a brighter future? A Te Tiriti-led future.
Nobody has all the answers. That’s for us to figure out together.
Read Moana Jackson and Franz Fanon. Listen to Justice Joe Williams. Don’t ask a Māori to translate that for you.
Have a cup of tea with your nan.
Cos every day is Waitangi Day.
Written by Tamatha Paul, Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki, Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Pūkeko, Ngā Rāuru, Ngāti Whakaue, Waikato Tainui
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