Waitangi Treaty Monument
The Waitangi Treaty Monument, also known as the Te Tii memorial, is registered with Heritage New Zealand (formerly known as the New Zealand Historic Places Trust) as a Category I structure.
The monument was built in circa 1880–1881.[1] Its inscription shows the full text in its Māori version of the Treaty of Waitangi.[2]
The monument was registered as a Category I heritage item by the Historic Places Trust on 19 March 1987 with registration number 71.[1] It is located on Te Karuwha Parade in Paihia.[1]
History
[edit]In mid-1880, members of Ngāpuhi commissioned the Auckland-based stonemason company of Buchanan to construct a memorial commemorating the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. The memorial foundation base was constructed out of Sydney sandstone (described as 'Sydney freestone' in contemporary reports of the time period), the material used for the memorial itself was Oamaru stone. It was constructed with a large base with a shaft, capital and frieze with a diminishing column with the entire structure reaching a total height of 17 feet (5.2 m). Plaques bearing an inscription of the full text of the Treaty of Waitangi in Māori were placed on all four sides of the base as well as a further inscription that 512 chiefs had been signatories.[3]
The memorial was unveiled on 26 March 1881.[4] More than 3,000 Maori nationwide arrived for the unveiling of the memorial and a substantial meeting house or runanga whare. There was also a hui (gathering) to discuss three clauses in the Treaty of Waitangi with a view to setting aside past intertribal conflicts.[5] At the time of the unveiling, the Governor-General Sir Arthur Hamilton Gordon had been asked to attend. However, the Minister of Native Affairs, William Rolleston had come in his place. Ngāpuhi leaders, expressed their disappointment but were satisfied Rolleston had come as the Governor-General's representative.[6]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "Waitangi Treaty Monument". New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero. Heritage New Zealand. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
- ^ "Te Tii memorial". Ministry for Culture and Heritage. 15 July 2013. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
- ^ "Untitled". No. New Zealand Herald. 14 August 1880. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
- ^ "Interprovincial". No. Timaru Herald. 28 March 1881. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
- ^ Goffe, W E (22 December 1934). "Maori Magna Carta: Treaty of Waitangi". Gisborne Times. p. 9. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
- ^ "Auckland". Otago Daily Times. 9 April 1881. p. 1. Retrieved 24 December 2022.