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Rangatahi | Hīkoi

Rangatahi collect 52,000 signatures on ‘Stop the Treaty Principles Bill’ petition

Hīkoi mō te Tiriti, Kaitaia activation, 11 November. Photo: Te Rawhitiroa Bosch.

As the Hīkoi mō te Tiriti moves through Aotearoa rangatahi from Ngāti Whakaue made a petition to throw out David Seymour’s Treaty Principles Bill.

“Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy, the promises afforded in Te Tiriti,” the petition said.

“The time to amplify our voice is now.”

Tens of thousands have shown their support in honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi during the week as the Treaty Principles Bill had its first reading in parliament.

In 1835 rangatira and representatives of the British Crown signed He Whakaputanga. Five years later Te Tiriti o Waitangi was signed.

“This momentous decree came as a great beacon of light and hope for both parties that allowed the establishment of a government that acknowledged Māori chiefs having rangatiratanga over their lands and ensured all peoples in this country would be treated the same," the petition said.

It said the introduction of the Treaty Principles Bill was a transgression against Te Tiriti o Waitangi and trampled on its mana.

'Together for te Tiriti' sign at protest against fast-track goldmining project in Waihi.

The rangatahi petition is on ActionStation, which has also launched a ‘Together for te Tiriti’ campaign.

At the time the campaign launched, director Kassie Hartendorp said the Treaty Principles Bill was a Trojan horse for hate.

Now she said ActionStation had been overwhelmed with people of all walks of life, “every age, every background you can think of,” showing their respect and support to honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi and be part of a positive movement.

Long-time activist and tangata tiriti Maire Leadbeater, who joined the hīkoi and walked across the Auckland Harbour bridge, said in activism there was a wonderful feeling of solidarity and all working together despite personal differences.

“And that that was the absolute feeling I had the whole way that suddenly all these people were completely different ages, sexes, everybody just doing the same thing for the same purpose, and that’s the most uplifting thing and we don’t ever want to jeopardise that.”

Te Aniwaniwa Paterson
Te Aniwaniwa Paterson

Te Aniwaniwa is a digital producer for Te Ao Māori News.