Kōrero about wai to flow at 2021 Ngāi Tahu Treaty Festival

Thursday, 4 February 2021

Te Rau Aroha Marae member Bubba Thompson is looking forward to welcoming guests to the marae for the 2021 Ngāi Tahu Treaty Festival on Saturday.

For Te Runaka O Awarua Kaiwhakahaere Dean Whaanga, the Treaty of Waitangi and subsequent settlements are about partnership – and the Ngāi Tahu Treaty Festival this weekend is a chance to explore what collaboration can achieve.

“It’s about people coming together to celebrate community and partnership; and to share kai and kōrero, really,” he said.

This year’s commemoration of the treaty signing take place at Te Rau Aroha Marae on Saturday where kaumātua across sectors will look at the importance of freshwater to iwi and te ao tūroa; and share the work Ngāi Tahu have been doing to protect it.

Whaanga and Awarua Rūnanga representative Gail Thompson are particularly keen for visitors to see the Waituna Lagoon; where Whakamana te Waituna Partners have been restoring the health of the wai (water) so iwi can reconnect with the lagoon where they traditionally sourced kai.

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“We’re at a stage where we're finally able to start delivering outcomes to the community,” Thompson said.

Projects like these are the result of Ngāi Tahu’s treaty settlement negotiations with the Crown, which is the subject of a book – A Long Time Coming – released by researcher Martin Fisher last year.

University of Otago PHD student Stuart Duncan (left) and University of Waikato associate professor Dean Whaanga show Awarua Rūnanga Representative Gail Thompson how to tour their virtual marae.

Fisher, and rangatira Tā Tipene O’Regan will join a panel discussion to reflect on the two centuries-long negotiations– which to some degree, are not yet over.

Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki James Brown will explain the importance of Section 4 of the Conservation Act designed to ensure partnership between iwi and the Crown.

It has become the subject of a court battle as Ngāi Tahu fight for guardianship of waterways.

Off the marae, visitors will be able to learn about this history of Māori soldiers who fought during World Wars I and II as part of an Anzac exhibition.

A waka prow (a carved canoe) from Rakuira will be on display alongside te Mauri o te Māori from the Southland Museum and Art Gallery.

The Tipene O’Regan-narrated visual journey through Fiordland Ata Whenua will also be screened.

A team of researchers will show off how they're bringing te reo and tikanga into the digital age as part of the Science for Technological Innovation National Science Challenge.

Starting with Te Rau Aroha Marae, they're creating virtual marae so those who no longer live in the takiwā can still experience them and learn from the stories of their kaumātua.

Visitors to the treaty festival will be among the first to try out the virtual reality experience.

Early birds, so to speak, will be able to meet Tōmua the kākāpō who was hand-raised in Invercargill and Whenua Hou (Codfish Island).

But since Tōmua is nocturnal, he’ll be greeting whānau between 9.30pm on Friday and 7am on Saturday.

The festival will officially start with a pōwhiri at 10am on Saturday and everyone is welcome.

Those who would like to join the bus trip to Waituna Lagoon are asked to contact the Awarua Rūnanga to book a seat.