Waitangi signing commemorated 175 years on

A Rangitikei River stone monument commemorating a significant Treaty of Waitangi signing site has been unveiled at Tangimoana.

Exactly 175 years after three local Ngati Wairiki-Ngati Apa chiefs signed the Treaty at Tawhirihoe (a riverside site adjacent to Tangimoana) local iwi, school children and territorial authority representatives gathered to reflect and celebrate.

Located beside a Horizons Regional Council stopbank the spot looks out across the Tawhirihoe signing site where the chiefs received missionaries Henry Williams and Octavius Hadfield, who presented the Treaty document on behalf of the Crown, on May 21 1840.

The monument was unveiled by two direct descendants of signatory Te Hakeke, as well as a Tangimoana School student and a Marton Junction School student.

Te Runanga o Ngati Apa general manager for lands and environment Chris Shenton said “the site was formerly a kainga (small traditional settlement) which was also used as a seasonal launch pad for sea fishing by our people”.

“We view the establishment of this monument as a first step along the way to further enhancing the site so people can recognise the area and further understand its significance historically for the Region. This initiative stems from our Treaty settlement which was finalised in February 2011 and some of our people realised that the 175th anniversary was upon us whereby we spoke with Horizons leadership to get the monument in place.”

The respective parties moved quickly, with Horizons doing the earthworks and donating plants for the site. Higgins Aggregates provided the river stone and Nga Wairiki-Ngati Apa hapu and iwi provided resource for the monument to be built and purchased the plaque. The monument was built by Aaron Gardiner of Nga Wairiki-Ngati Apa.

“It’s been a privilege to be involved in the establishment of the site and an honour to be invited to the unveiling,” Horizons’ chairman Bruce Gordon said.

“We really value the relationship we have with Ngati Apa and look forward to growing it in the future as they look to further develop the cultural significance of the area.”

ENDS

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