Wahine toa — and the treaty
While a group of Ma¯ ori women added their signatures to the Treaty of Waitangi 180 years ago, Pa¯ keha¯ women were yet to be allowed to vote.
And those wa¯ hine probably had no idea what they were about to give up, Waikato Museum
curator
Maree Mills
of Nga¯ ti Tuwharetoa says.
Ha¯ ngi, boil-up and the fry-bread filled celebrations commenced across the city yesterday, as Hamilton celebrated its 180th Waitangi Day.
But the focus at the Waikato Museum was on how the Tiriti o Waitangi had impacted Ma¯ ori women, Mills, of Nga¯ ti Tuwharetoa told Stuff.
Mills convened a panel of women to discuss the issue, at the acitivity-filled museum yesterday.
It follows news of a Waitangi claim being lodged by Te
Ru¯ nanga o Nga¯ Toa A¯ whina, a claim asserting that breaches of the treaty relegated generations of Ma¯ ori women to low paid jobs and vulnerable working conditions.
Records show 13 Ma¯ ori women had actually been among those signing the treaty.
The fact that Pa¯ keha¯ women weren’t allowed to vote when the treaty was signed was a ‘‘real indicator of what [Wa¯ hine Toa] were about to give up,’’ Mills said.
Before the treaty, Maori women were involved in politics, Mills said. They were warriors, decision makers.
And it’s never stopped, Mills added, citing leaders such as Pania Newton – Ihumatao activist – and the many ku ia who drove Waitangi claims.
‘‘We forget. We think that it’s a new thing, but it’s not . . . Maori women had power.’’
For Maori, the way forward is tıkanga and returning to indigenous values that had been held for centuries. She doesn’t just want ‘‘equality’’ for the next generation of Wa¯ hine Toa.
‘‘I want them to be leaders.’’ Throughout the day, kapa haka performances, weaving workshops, storytelling and games were among the activities running out of the museum.
On the other side of town, hundreds of punters and dozens of stalls filled the Western Community Centre, organised by the centre and Te Runanga O Kirikiriroa.
The event was filled with entertainment, information stalls, moko painting, food and bouncy castles.
Hordes of hungry families lined up at food stalls, particularly drawn by the scent of fried bread, ha¯ ngi, boil-up and ‘‘taniwha burgers’’.
Local woman Tui Kirkwood was selling hangi, ‘‘soul kai’’, to fund her daughter’s trip to the waka ama world championships being held in Hawaii.
The key to a good ha¯ ngi was a good stuffing recipe to bring the smokey mixture of meat, kamokamo, kumara and other vegetables together.
The stall’s first customer, Deborah Lovett, said the kai was ‘‘beautiful’’ after living in Sydney, where it was difficult to find Ma¯ ori cuisine.