H.E. Charlotte Darlow, High Commissioner of New Zealand to Fiji – Waitangi Day 2024
Tēnā koutou katoa Today marks the 184th anniversary of the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi / the Treaty of Waitangi, the foundational document for New Zealand which sets out the enduring partnership between Māori and the Crown.
Today is a moment to reflect on the multifaceted relationships between indigenous peoples and their national governments. It is also a time to celebrate New Zealand’s unique history and culture.
Over the last year, the New Zealand whānau (family) in Fiji had several joyous occasions to come together and share our cultural practices, whether through kai (food), waiata (song), toi (art), or other elements. Importantly, we were also privileged to have opportunities to share those occasions with our wider Fijian whānau and friends, through a combination of both formal and informal events, in Suva and across the rest of Fiji.
Such experiences always serve as a reminder that while New Zealand and Fiji each have their own diverse cultural customs and traditions, there are in fact many shared cultural connections that exist amongst both of our peoples, and which stretch back many centuries.
When I think back to last year’s Waitangi Day, I reflect on just how much has happened over the past year.
Together, New Zealand and Fiji have continued to build on our strong bilateral relationship, seeing a significant number of high-level visits from our respective leaders, travelling in both directions.
As a diplomat, to see so many successful high-level visits take place over the last twelve months is genuinely rewarding, as they demonstrate just how vital the relationship between New Zealand and Fiji is viewed in both of our countries.
It also reinforces just how much we have enjoyed reconnecting in person in a postpandemic environment.
New Zealand and Fiji have also continued to work very closely together across a range of regional and global endeavours over the past year, focusing on doing whatever we can to promote peace, prosperity, and respect for our planet.
In particular, it has been a pleasure to see distinguished groups of indigenous peoples from both of our countries undertake a range of visits, either from New Zealand to Fiji or in the other direction.
These visits were focused on a range of topics, including indigenous arts and crafts, building stronger relationships between indigenous businesses and investors, and enhancing ties between indigenous community leaders.
Importantly, our travellers always sought to better understand both the history and the contemporary lives of their hosts, and to find shared lessons for each side in a spirit of mutual learning and exploration.
I am excited to see what the year ahead entails. It is a real honour for our High Commission team to serve the partnership between Fiji and New Zealand.
In a world of many challenges, I am very grateful for the continued goodwill that underpins our shared aroha (love) and support of each other as nations.
I would like to take this opportunity to pass on goodwill for my colleagues here in Fiji, the many people from across Fiji that my team and I are fortunate to engage with through our professional and personal lives, our loved ones back in New Zealand and spread throughout the world, and the many people who strive to make our countries, and the world, a better place.
He taonga rongonui te aroha ki te tangata. Goodwill towards others is a precious treasure.