September 18, 2015
Ngati Whatua marks first crown flag raising
It’s 175 years since Ngati Whatua o Orakei bought the Crown to Auckland.
The hapu marked the anniversary with a ceremony at Emily Place, near where their ancestors gathered with Captain William Hobson and raised the flag of St George on a flagpole with the name Auckland carved at the base.
Chair Phillip Davis says it was the official start to the process of creating Auckland city, and was followed by the sale of 3500 acres to the Crown.
He says a lot of work went in to making Auckland an effective settlement, and Ngati Whatua played a significant part.
The hapu plans a larger event in the New Year to commemorate the actual handing over of the land in 1841.
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