30 Key Facts about Te Tiriti o Waitangi

30 Key Facts about Te Tiriti o Waitangi  (The Treaty of Waitangi)

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Here are 30 key facts about Te Tiriti o Waitangi:

1. Signed on February 6, 1840, at Waitangi in the Bay of Islands\

2. Considered the founding document of New Zealand\

3. Two versions exist - one in English and one in te reo Māori (Te Tiriti)\

4. Over 500 Māori Rangatira (chiefs) signed, including 13 women\

5. Most Māori signed the te reo Māori version\

6. Captain William Hobson represented the British Crown\

7. Consists of a preamble and three articles\

8. Article 1 grants governance rights to the British Crown\

9. Article 2 guarantees Māori Tino rangatiratanga (sovereignty) over their lands and treasures\

10. Article 3 promises Māori the rights of British subjects\

11. Preceded by He Whakaputanga (Declaration of Independence) in    1835\

12. Differences in translation led to conflicting interpretations\

13. Formed the basis for British annexation of New Zealand\

14. Has been repeatedly breached by the Crown since its signing\

15. Led to land confiscations and unjust legislation against Māori\

16. Sparked increased Māori protest movements in the 20th century\

17. Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975 established the Waitangi Tribunal\

18. Waitangi Tribunal investigates breaches of the Treaty\

19. Now considered a partnership between Māori and the Crown\

20. Provides the basis for biculturalism in New Zealand\

21. Recognizes the special place of Māori as tangata whenua (people of the land)\

22. Influences modern legislation and government policies\

23. Subject of ongoing debate and reinterpretation\

24. French Catholic Bishop Pompallier requested religious freedom at the signing\

25. 39 Rangatira signed an English version at Manukau Harbour and Waikato Heads\

26. Kohimarama conference in 1860 discussed Treaty interpretations\

27. Treaty principles developed through court decisions and legislation\

28. Waitangi Day (February 6) is now a public holiday in New Zealand\

29. Growing British migration in the 1830s influenced the need for the Treaty\

30. The Treaty aimed to protect Māori rights and regulate British subjects