Western Bay Museum are proud and excited to support the local hapū of northern Tauranga Moana at a dawn service on Waitangi Day.
A short service will take place on the museum forecourt where hapū representatives will lead karakia, mihimihi and waiata to commemorate the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It will also include raising of the tino rangatiratanga flag on the museum flag pole, and the New Zealand flag in memorial square, that will both fly together for the day.
The tino rangatiratanga flag flying on this day embodies Western Bay Musuem’s aspirations in maintaining a partnership with Mana Whenua. Museum Manager Paula Gaelic says it feels like a good time for our community to come together.
“Waitangi Day is our nation’s national day. It needs to be commemorated – we are all partners and it’s an exciting time for us all to celebrate diversity, growth and partnership,” says Mrs Gaelic.
Western Bay Museum Board of Trustees are looking forward to this day of commemoration and celebration with their Te Tiriti o Waitangi Partners and the wider community.
The Flag
The tino rangatiratanga flag was born out of a desire for a national Māori flag to be flown at Waitangi Treaty Grounds on the 150th commemoration of the signing. A competition run by northland group Te Kawariki saw the creation of the flag.
The black represents Te Kore, the realm of potential being, the long darkness from whence the world emerged: the formless, passive and the male element. The white represents Te Ao Mārama, the realm of being, the physical world. The koru represents the unfurling of new life: the promise of hope for the future. The red represents Te Whai Ao, the realm of coming into being, Papatūānuku, Earth Mother, sustainer of all things living. Red is the colour of earth from which the first human was made.
Mana Whenua Liaison Officer for Western Bay Museum, Hone Winder-Murray says the flag has too often been perceived as a notion of protest but that’s not how it should be seen.
“The tino flag has far more meaning than what some people know it to be. For me, it acknowledges the past, it talks to the present and gives me hope for the future. We cannot change the past but we are in position to determine how bright our future can be together. I’m happy that we can commemorate this day together in our community,” says Mr Winder-Murray.
