Is it sweet to feel happy on Waitangi Day?
This week I’ve been asking people what emotions they’re noticing as we approach Waitangi Day.
I’ve got a lot of riri/anger, some rangirua/confusion and anipā/apprehension, a fair helping of kaniawhea/guilt, and judging by the way the women a few offices down in my co-working space backed away from me with her eyes wide and hands up—a sprinkling of mataku/fear.
‘Oh, I’m sorry, it’s not, like, a test, I just—,’ she didn’t hear the rest. She was out of there.
What I haven’t heard much of are the positive kare ā-roto/emotions; pride, aroha, hell, even happiness.
They are out there. As I’ve put the events together over the last couple wiki I’ve seen whānau days and concert nights across the motu/islands advertised with smiling faces and the word ‘celebration’. When my cousin Grace and I went to Waitangi for our first time last year we were surprised by just how joyous the wairua/spirit was.
And although we’ll quite cheerfully attend those events, just throw out a ‘Happy Waitangi Day’ to a mate and feel the awkward ‘Are we allowed to say that?’ silence to see that we’re not super used to the positive association at an individual level.
Personally, I’ve come to reckon we need more of it.
Before I dig myself into a massive kōwhaowhao/hole, let me be clear—I’m not trying to silver line Waitangi Day (if you read last week’s pānui/newsletter you’ll know I’m not into that).
In no way is my intention to gloss over the fact that the history of te Tiriti is riddled with hefty execution problems, blatant wrongdoings, and a huge amount of mamae/pain that we all continue to suffer from.
It’s imperative that we continue to recognise that.
But it’s a lot to carry e te whānau and when we let it fully define the day we end up pushing people away from taking part (for more complicated reasons than just not caring). Ngā hua?/The results? More division, more misunderstanding, and more opportunity for a few loud voices to shape the narrative to their own will.
What gets lost when we restrict ourselves to the negatives surrounding Waitangi Day is any acknowledgement of just how freakn rad te Tiriti actually is.
When you look at the original intention (made fascinatingly clear in this pukapuka by Ned Murphy, albeit it in fifty zillion kupu/words) it was an exceedingly future focussed document that embraced globalisation and immigration, granting equal rights to migrants while protecting those of Māori in a uniquely—and world-leading—manaakitanga and kotahitanga filled way. Rather than bending to the practices of the past, namely conquering, killing, and attempting to assimilate each other, it pushed for co-governance, promising a peaceful and prosperous future for all.
That’s two very long rerenga/sentences, but te Tiriti promises a lot and it’s all R.A.D.
Have we been able to create that future yet? Kāo/Nope.
Is it possible? I hope so.
How do we get there? Way above my limited mōhiotanga/knowledge I’m sorry to say e hoa mā but I reckon it’ll require keeping both the negative AND the hope-filled, happiness, pride, and excitement inducing positives in sight.
Happy Waitangi Day.
It still doesn’t feel quite right, but one day it will.
Whaddya reckon? Reply to wānanga with me.