Waitangi Day

Whiria te kaha tuatinitini

Whiria te kaha tuamanomano

Friday this week is the 6th of February, Waitangi Day, which, this year, marks the 175th anniversary of the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi / the Treaty of Waitangi.

Ref: Ron Clark, Flagstaff, Waitangi, 1960s, Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, 1207-1373.

Ref: F. Douglas Mill, Treaty House at Waitangi from the air, February 1934, West Auckland Research Centre, Auckland Libraries, FDM-0337-G.

Auckland Libraries are running a series of events around the signing of the Treaty, have a look here for events in your area.

In the Sir George Grey Special Collections reading room there is a small exhibition showcasing some of the items in our heritage collections relating to the Treaty of Waitangi including a certified copy written in Te Reo which is part of our manuscript collection of James Reddy Clendon’s papers. For further information on the Clendon papers, search for NZMS 478 on Manuscripts Online. 

Ref: Henry Tacy Kemp, The Treaty of Waitangi (in  Māori ), 1840, Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, 7-C1886.

The nine documents that make up the Treaty are available to view at Archives New Zealand (at least for a little bit longer) or can be viewed online here.

Two years ago Bruce wrote about the Treaty signings that took place around the Auckland area. This year on Heritage et AL we are looking at images of the Waitangi Day celebrations at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds from 1934 and 1957. The events at Waitangi are seen through the lenses of two different photographer’s collections that are a part of the heritage collections at Auckland Libraries.

The following photographs from the 1934 celebrations are part of the Frank Douglas Mill collection held at the West Auckland Research Centre. Have a look at our previous post on F. Douglas Mill and keep following Heritage et AL for a more in-depth look at this wonderful collection. 1934 is particularly significant as this was the first year that the signing of Te Tiriti was officially commemorated after the refurbishment of the Treaty House. 

Ref: F. Douglas Mill, Opening of the restored Waitangi Treaty House, 6 February 1934, West Auckland Research Centre, Auckland Libraries, FDM-0816-G.

Ref: F. Douglas Mill, Opening of the restored Waitangi Treaty House, 6 February 1934, West Auckland Research Centre, Auckland Libraries, FDM-0817-G.

Ref: F. Douglas Mill, Scene at opening ceremony of restored Treaty House at Waitangi, 6 February 1934, West Auckland Research Centre, Auckland Libraries, FDM-0335-G.

The 1957 images are part of the Ron Clark photograph collection, a recent acquisition that helps us in documenting New Zealand life from the middle decades of the 20^th century.

Ref: Ron Clark, Waitangi Day celebrations, February 1957, Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, 1207-1381.

Ref: Ron Clark, Waitangi Day celebrations, February 1957, Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, 1207-1384.

Ref: Ron Clark, Waitangi Day celebrations, February 1957, Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, 1207-1388.

Ref: Ron Clark, Waitangi Day celebrations, February 1957, Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, 1207-1386.

To browse other images by Ron Clark of Waitangi and the Bay of Islands from around the same time period, go to Heritage Images and perform a search on 1207-13*.

Author: Andrew Henry