In the central city, about 100 people braved rain and hail to mark national day of solidarity Rā Whakamana, commemorating, among other things, He Whakaputanga o Te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tireni (usually translated as the Declaration of Independence of New Zealand).
Araiteuru Marae manager Tania Williams (Ngāpuhi) said she organised a commemoration on the marae when flight cancellations prevented her marking the anniversary in Waitangi, as she usually did, where He Whakaputanga was signed on October 28, 1835.
It was signed initially by 34 northern rangatira, and by 1839 had 52 tohu (signatures) of rangatira from as far Waikato and Hawke’s Bay, including the first Māori King, Te Wherowhero.
The handwritten document, acknowledged by the British government, contains four articles asserting mana and sovereign power in New Zealand reside fully with Māori.
Ms Williams said a "handful" of people attended the service yesterday, which also marked the National Day of Commemoration for the New Zealand Wars.
"My eight-year-old mokopuna [grandchild] was there ... he’s been educated about this sacred covenant that his tupuna [ancestors] signed," Ms Williams said.
"Throughout our service, there were acknowledgments made when a tupuna name came up and that was the whakapapa of people that were present.
"It’s nice to put faces to those names and to still be remembering them."
He Whakaputanga was a document "still alive and living" and often regarded as a "parent" document to Te Tiriti o Waitangi; they, alongside the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, were vital to keep moving "positively forward as a nation", she said.
"It hasn’t finished its work."
In Queens Gardens yesterday, people gathered to mark Rā Whakamana, a national day of solidarity backing workers’ rights, the environment, tangata whenua and Te Tiriti o Waitangi, timed to align with the anniversary of He Whakaputanga and the first Labour Day demonstrations in 1890.
Tertiary Education Union (Te Uepū) co-branch leader and MC Rauhina Kohuwai-Banks (Kāi Tahu) estimated about 100 people were present.
Public Service Association delegate and Rā Whakamana national organising committee member Bronny Pegler (Ngāti Kahungunu) said she was "stoked" and surprised people attended given the poor weather.
"But for me it’s not about the numbers, it’s actually about the kaupapa," she said.
"It doesn’t matter about people coming here in person, just as long as everybody somewhere around the country is acknowledging that today is a really important day.
"We’re fortunate, despite the rain — and I’m pretty sure it hailed a little bit — people still came out to celebrate, which is absolutely beautiful and awesome."
