In 2000, Christchurch hosted a party and parade to mark the 150th anniversary of the first four European ships arriving between December 16 to 27, 1850.
Twenty-five years later, a proposal to hold a similar event by a planning committee has failed to gain traction due to the colonial history of the anniversary.
A meeting between the committee, made up of Canterbury history enthusiasts, and council staff in September led nowhere.
Said a city council spokesperson: “We have shifted towards more inclusive and balanced historical narratives since the 150th anniversary in 2000, which has greater recognition of Māori perspectives and the historical harm of colonisation.”
The city council would not support any anniversary celebrations without support from Ngāi Tahu rūnanga, said the spokesperson.
However, all six rūnanga near Christchurch told city council staff they were not interested in taking part in an anniversary celebration, the spokesperson said.
After the September meeting, The Star understands the planning committee was dissolved. This has left plans for any non-council funded anniversary events up in the air.
Harewood Ward councillor Aaron Keown supported the committee’s efforts to organise an anniversary event but said city council staff seemed to “lack passion” for the proposal.
“It’s probably a difficult time for the staff to commit to events like this with the stadium and sports centre coming along. We’re sort of looking forward as a city at the moment instead of backwards,” Keown said.
He said the colonial history of the anniversary made it difficult for the city council to support.
“Spending any council money or resource on anything that can come across as controversial is just damn near impossible,” said Keown.
“I’m not a politically correct person who says we must respect the treaty in all things, but I do think it would be disrespectful to just go ahead and do events without their (Ngāi Tahu) support.”
