A rare 1837 print copy of He Whakaputanga is on show in a new exhibition at Auckland’s Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT).
Tō Ao ki Tōku Ao – A Meeting of Worlds opens on Monday, September 1, showcasing taonga that capture the first encounters between Māori and Pākehā on the printed page. The original copy, signed by northern rangatira in 1835, affirms hapū sovereignty.
The narrative is led by Eru Kapa-Kingi, a descendant of the signatories of He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tireni - the Declaration of Independence of the United Tribes of New Zealand, a spokesperson for Toitū Te Tiriti, and an academic at Auckland Law School. He says the document represents the first constitutional declaration set by his ancestors in Aotearoa.
‘Koia ko te pou tuatahi’
“Koia ko te pou tuatahi ka poua ki te whenua i ētahi o ngā tūpuna, kia mataara te ao, kia mōhio te ao he tangata kei konei, he mana kei konei,” hei tā Kapa-Kingi.
(“This was the first post set firmly in the ground by some of our ancestors, to alert the world, so that the world would know, that there are people here, that there is authority here,” says Kapa-Kingi.)
Kapa-Kingi proclaimed Ngāpuhi ancestors were clear - the land was never free for the taking.
“Ko tā ngā tūpuna i mahi ai i runga i tō rātou mātau, koi, otirā, i runga i tō rātou rangatiratanga. Koia!” hei tā Kapa-Kingi.
(“That is what our ancestors did, with their knowledge, their wisdom, and above all, their rangatiratanga. That is it!” says Kapa-Kingi.)
Filmmaker Heperi Mita also contributed to the project, producing a cinematic response that brings the documents and their messages into the present.
Hei tā Mita, “Ko Ngāpuhi te mana o ēnei kupu o ēnei taonga, me te taumahatanga o ērā hoki,”
(Mita says, “Ngāpuhi hold the authority of these words, of these treasures, and also the weight of that responsibility.”)
On Friday, the exhibition was attended by Ngāpuhi and blessed with the support of Ngāti Whātua.
Ngāpuhi calls for He Whakaputanga
Kapa-Kingi says Ngāpuhi want the original declaration - currently stored at the National Library in Wellington- to be returned to the north. He says early talks are also already underway for the exhibition, once it ends, to be fixed at Waitangi.
The original He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tireni - the Declaration of Independence of the United Tribes of New Zealand - was first signed on 28 October 1835 at Waitangi by 34 northern chiefs, declaring that authority and sovereignty rested with Māori. The document also sought protection from King William IV.
According to Kapa-Kingi, by 1837, around 100 copies had been made.
By 1839, 52 rangatira had signed it, including Te Wherowhero, the first Māori King, and the Declaration was formally acknowledged by the British government.
Speaking to Te Ao Māori News, Kapa-Kingi says that MOTAT acquired its copy through a private auction, after the document had been hidden away in someone’s shed.
“Kātahi ka tukua, ka kite i tētahi auction, nā, ka tōia te ngākau o MOTAT nei kia hokoina, hei tirotiro, hei wānanga hoki mā te marea whānui. E whakapono ana hoki ahau ki ngā tāngata o konei e mahi ana i ngā mahi i runga i te tika me te pono. Nāku hoki tēnei whakaaturanga i āta ārahi, kia mārama ngā kōrero, kia pono ngā kōrero,” hei tā Kapa-Kingi.
(“When it surfaced at auction, MOTAT was drawn to take it on so it could properly be viewed and discussed by the wider public. I believe the people here are carrying out this work with integrity and honesty. And my role is to guide the exhibition so the stories are told clearly and truthfully,” says Kapa-Kingi.)
He Whakaputanga print copy at MOTAT
Kayla Harrison, MOTAT’s People and Culture Advisor - Kaupapa Māori, says the kaupapa reflects a turning point for the museum.
“For the first time at MOTAT, Māori have led the shaping of an exhibition, with our role being to support, not direct. It reflects a commitment to uphold mana motuhake, tikanga, mātauranga, and whakapapa.”
Other taonga on display include He Papakupu (dictionary) and Te Paipera Tapu (Māori Bible).
Head of Library and Archives Simon Wetherill says holding He Whakaputanga in MOTAT’s collection is a privilege.
“Having a print from the time holds immense historic value - not only for the content but also for its meaning to Te Tai Tokerau and beyond. Preservation and accessibility are key to ensuring our tamariki and mokopuna can engage with this history firsthand.”
Tō Ao ki Tōku Ao – A Meeting of Worlds opens Monday, September 1, at MOTAT’s Walsh Memorial Library in Auckland.
