Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will spend Waitangi Day at Akaroa
Monday, 3 February 2025
Prime Minster Christopher Luxon will commemorate the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi with Ngāi Tahu at Ōnuku Marae near Akaroa this week.
Luxon, who attended the 2024 commemorations at Waitangi, near Paihia in Te Tai Tokerau, announced in December he would not attend that venue this year, saying “it has always been my intention to celebrate Waitangi Day around the country with different iwi”.
This year’s Waitangi Day comes as the Treaty’s principles are up for debate as the justice committee listens to 80 hours of verbal submissions and reads more than 300,000 written views relating to the Treaty Principles Bill.
Communities are marking the day on Thursday with ceremonies, hīkoi (marches), and festivities.
Iwi leaders across the motu began the signing Te Tiriti o Waitangi with the Crown 185 years ago on Thursday.
Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu has invited whānau and the wider community to commemorate the day at Ōnuku Marae, taking a different approach to the usual celebrations at Okains Bay.
Ōnuku was one of 18 papatipu rūnanga, or traditional iwi authority, of Ngāi Tahu, based near the mouth of Akaroa Harbour.
Ōnuku Rūnanga chairperson Rik Tainui confirmed on Monday that Luxon and Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro would be among the hundreds of people expected to commemorate the day with whānau.
“This is a significant event for our hapū and iwi and we’re looking forward to opening our whare to the community to commemorate this important day.”
On Monday Luxon said Akaroa was “very dear to me” and “it was a place I used to tear around with my brothers during the long, hot Canterbury summers.
“My children learned to swim under the Nor’West arch and I remember thinking then how very lucky we were to have the privilege of growing up in New Zealand.”
Prominent Ngāpuhi leader and chair of the Waitangi National Trust Pita Tipene (Ngāti Hine) called for Luxon to “front up” to Waitangi, but he did not think the Prime Minister was running away from facing northern iwi.
“Ki a au, e waiho ana ia [Luxon] i a [David] Seymour ki te whakakanohi i tōna pire (To me, Luxon is leaving David Seymour to face his bill).”
The pōwhiri will begin at 9am with speeches from Luxon, Kiro, and Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu kaiwhakahaere chairman Justin Tipa, followed by a panel discussion chaired by veteran broadcaster and reo Māori translator Stacey Morrison (Ngāi Tahu, Te Arawa, Pākehā).
No parking will be allowed at the marae, but shuttles will be available from Akaroa Area School from 7.30am.
Peaceful protesters are expected to be at the event, which will be livestreamed.
For those in Christchurch, a hīkoi will take place from Victoria Square to New Brighton from 11am.
The hīkoi would be a chance for tāngata whenua (Māori) and tāngata tiriti (non-Māori) to show their support for Māori rights and affirm the promises of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, said co-organiser Cheyenne Scown (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Whātua ki Kaipara, Ngāi Te Rangi).
“Our purpose is to give our Māori community the opportunity to stand up for their people and their tūpuna (ancestors), but also for our tāngata tiriti and allies to show up, be unified in purpose, and show their support in a tangible way.
“Nā tō rourou, nā taku rourou, ka ora ai te iwi (With your food basket and my food basket the people with thrive). Together, we can make a difference.”
At the end, the hīkoi will walk in silence to show the day is not one of celebration, but of commemoration and reflection, before sharing kai (food), Scown said.
In North Canterbury, Kaiapoi plans to celebrate the signing of one of the nation’s founding documents with kai, kapa haka, and kēmu (food, performances, and games).
From 11am, Trousselot Park will be filled with waiata (songs), whaikōrero (speeches), and the chance to have questions relating to Te Tiriti answered by Network Waitangi Ōtautahi.
There will be food trucks, market stalls and children’s activities.