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Download AudioThe organiser of Waitangi Day commemorations wants no political posturing during Sunday’s powhiri for party leaders.
Waitangi National Trust chair Pita Tipene says while Monday night’s storm-related state of emergency may have spooked some people, he’s expecting a big turn out.
The weather today is calm and serene, and he expects that to continue into the weekend.
He also wants some serenity during the welcome, even though it is election year.
Once the powhiri is over party leaders and a panel of tangata whenua from around the country will be invited to give short speeches on what they think the Treaty of Waitangi means in 2023 and beyond.
“The reason the Whare Runanga was built and opened in 1940 at the Centennial was for the Whare Runanga and the Treaty House to have an ongoing conversation about the promise of Waitangi and we really want the focus to be on that, not on politicising various other things,” Mr Tipene says.
Waitangi Day will include the dawn ceremony, waka events, the traditional Royal New Zealand navy beat retreat and a concert including Hātea Kapa Haka, MOHI, MELODOWNZ, Paige, Troy Kingi and Don McGlashan.
Whakata Maori will cover the dawn ceremony from 5am and then return for a four hour live broadcast at the Treaty Grounds from 9am hosted by Tini Molyneux and Peter Lucas-Jones.
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