What do you know about the Treaty?

What is the Treaty of Waitangi?

Hobson's Beach

According to the Ministry for Culture and Heritage (2012) "The Treaty of Waitangi is the founding document of New Zealand. It is an agreement entered into by representatives of the Crown and of Māori iwi (tribes) and hapū (sub-tribes). It is named after the place in the Bay of Islands where the Treaty was first signed, on 6 February 1840. The Treaty was not drafted as a constitution or a statute. It was a broad statement of principles upon which the British officials and Māori chiefs made a political compact or covenant to found a nation state and build a government in New Zealand to deal with pressing new circumstances. Like many treaties, it is an exchange of promises between the parties to it."(para 2).

Activity

Using your learning journal or other chosen method of recording your learning note down key concepts about the Treaty of Waitangi that you already know. The following questions may help guide you: What do I know about the Treaty? Who did it involve? How did it come about? What does it mean today? Do I consider the Treaty to have relevance to my work? What is my rationale for my answer? Do I need to find out more about the Treaty?

Reading

TOW If your answer to the final question above was - Yes, start searching out information about the Treaty to provide yourself with an overview. You may find the following starting resources helpful: The Treaty in brief. Treaty FAQs. Interactive Version of Treaty2U This contains a series of video clips outlining information about the Treaty. The Treaty of Waitangi Past and Present. Section 5 : What the Treaty Means Today. A teaching aid resource from the Waitangi Tribunal.