Why the Treaty of Waitangi was needed

My reading group Kea, worked together to find out Why the Treaty of Waitangi was needed. Here is what we came up with.

Why a treaty was needed?

Maori-  

They desperately needed the treaty due to the behavior of European settlers in Kororareka/ Russell.  Also because the Europeans offered better and more advanced weapons which the Maori people wanted their hands on. They also signed the treaty because they wanted regulated settlement and support in controlling settlers and land sales.

Why some didn’t sign the treaty

The treaty was not passed on to some areas in NZ, like Hawks bay. There were treaty meetings, which some chiefs did not attend. The negotiators were impatient and decided to cut them out. Copies of the treaty reached other areas, but the chiefs refused to sign it. The chiefs valued their independence and were not prepared to work for the Queen.

Europeans -

The Europeans wanted the Treaty because they wanted all their Land ( Oil, Weapons, Tech and power, fame and righteousness).

My perspective on the Treaty of Waitangi

After watching a video about Waitangi day, I changed my whole perspective on the Treaty of Waitangi. Turns out, clauses of the treaty were disobeyed and not honoured.

The first clause, giving Queen Victoria the rights of the New Zealand government. Meaning, Queen Victoria created the rules in NZ at that time. The second clause, giving the Maori total ownership over their lands. Though, the Maori were also allowed to or sell their land. The third and last clause, which was that Maori tribes get equal rights and duties as the Europeans do.

All clauses except for the the first clause, were not honoured. Many years later, there were tribes who tried to prevent the Europeans from settling, those tribes were branded or called rebels. This led to their land being confiscated,(Clause 2 dishonored). This was not fair at all, in the treaty it stated the Maori were in charge of their own land, which was part of the agreement. Yet the Europeans took matters into their own hands and decided to punish them, by taking their land.

In the 1860 war, Europeans gained power of the Maori. They bribed Maori tribes and warriors to fight against the other Maori protesters. The wars, were brutal, horrendous and murderous. The europeans had an advantage for they had more advanced weapons such as shotguns, swords, bayonets and military rifles. The Maori warriors only had spears, Patu (club), Pouwhenua (pointed fighting staff), Tewhatewha (axe-like fighting staff) and many more hand made weapons.

There are still Maori protesters, up to this day, who are unhappy about the celebrations of Waitangi day. This is because they believed the treaty was a fraud. The British were very careless, about the treaty, judging by what I've seen and heard.  

I strongly agree with the Maori people. Their land were encroached on and taken over, no wonder why they are mad. It was an absurd act from the Europeans, they disobeyed the rules on the treaty

and did not keep their word. From a Maori's perspective, I can understand where they’re coming from and their anger. Though at first, I was quite confused why, to some Maoris, Waitangi day was a sad and also angry day for them.

Other people think that they should move on from the past and focus on present. What do you think about Waitangi day?

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