It’s a special time of year, with its long days and extra sprinkling of public holidays. But Waitangi Day seems even more special than the others—how many other countries have a founding document that aims to honour both the newcomer and the host? This is simplistic, of course, and we are still living within the echoes of sorrow between our peoples.
But in preparing for this issue, I feel as if a veil was lifted from my eyes. I never fully appreciated before how signing the Treaty of Waitangi was an act of true manaaki on behalf of Māori. They chose to welcome in the outsider and share their land. We were once strangers to each other, but through the Treaty we became whānau. This is startling and beautiful, and worth celebrating.
As Captain Hana Seddon points out in her article on page 20, manaaki lifts up both the visitor and the host. Or as newzealand.com says, ‘all parties are elevated … building unity through humility and the act of giving.’
Why is it that we think honouring the other somehow diminishes our status? In fact, the opposite is true. Let us honour one another, and in doing so, lift ourselves up.
Just a note, as an English-language publication, we have used the title ‘Treaty of Waitangi’ for ease of reading. However, we fully acknowledge the reo and status of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Ingrid Barratt
Editor
Colossians 3:13 (New International Version)
Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
Korohe 3:13
Kia āta hanga koutou tētahi ki tētahi, me te hohou i te rongo tētahi ki tētahi, ki te mea kei tētahi he take riri ki tētahi: kia rite ki tā te Ariki i hohou nei i te rongo ki a koutou, kia pērā ano hoki koutou.