Information Report by: Tupou Tupi
Treaty of Waitangi
The Treaty of Waitangi is an agreement signed in 1840 between the Maori and the British settlers. New Zealand celebrates the signing of The Treaty of Waitangi every year on February 6th. The Maori people were the first to discover New Zealand also known as Aotearoa (meaning the Land of the Long White Cloud).
Signing Of The Treaty Of Waitangi
The Treaty of Waitangi was first signed on the 6th of February, 1840. The Treaty of Waitangi was an agreement between the British people and the Maori people. On February 5th, it was the day the Pakeha people presented the Treaty of Waitangi to the Maori people. In New Zealand, there is a town called Waitangi and that is where the Treaty of Waitangi was signed.
The Two Different Versions Of The Treaty Of Waitangi
English Article
In the English text, Māori leaders gave Queen Victoria all the rights and the supremacy over their land. It was also written in the Māori text that the Māori leaders gave the Queen complete government over their land.
Maori Article
In the Māori text, the Māori people were guaranteed that they still had leadership over their lands, villages, and all their property and treasures. Māori also agreed to give the Crown the right to buy their land if they wished to sell it.
Concluding Statement
The Treaty of Waitangi is an important agreement that was signed by representatives of the British Crown and Māori in 1840. The Treaty was aimed to protect the rights of Māori to keep their land, forests, fisheries, and treasures while handing over authority to the Pakeha.
