Waitangi Day – What Really Happened?

Approximately two hundred fifty-six years ago, the British sailor/explorer, Cptn James Cook had discovered what looked like a ‘large land, uplifted high,’ this being the lesser renowned country of the time of New Zealand or what the Maori (the original inhabitants of this “new land) had called it, Aotearoa. Meaning the land of the long white cloud in Maori. Naming it after how the early Polynesians had found such land. Via the sighting of a long white cloud. With this sighting, Cptn Cook soon took the initiative to land at Poverty Bay, which is near modern-day Gisborne. After this, things were disastrous for Cook. Two days after the landing, Cook and his crew accidentally killed a soldier after a confusing account, and the day after, others were either killed or wounded. Despite this disastrous account, things remained okay between the two parties. Cook sailed across New Zealand to be the first to outline New Zealand. The problems actually arose when whalers, the French, several European countries, and the British crown came to New Zealand for exploitation and colonization. The main attributer(s) of all of this were the whalers and the British. Both attributers attributing to the exploitation of the native fauna, land, and Maori people in general. This weakened the bridge of relationship the Maori and British, and overall started a trend of exploitation within the lands the Maori originally owned. Another trend that was started due to this relationship gap and exploitation trend was a trend of land disputes. Land dispute (as the name mentioned) were conflicts that are caused due to a land dispute. The Maori (being the brave warriors they are) were not afraid even for a single bit and were straight into conflict. A notable land dispute is the musket wars. The British at the time had limited people and soldiers to effectively fight against the Maori. Therefore, they signalled the plan of a document to be printed out as a treaty between them and the Maori. Soon, the plan was set into fruition and the two groups met and signed two different treaties. One called the “Te tiriti o Waitangi” or The treaty of Waitangi, but in Maori. And one called the Treaty of Waitangi. Both parties agreeing to sign the treaty on the 6th of February 1840.