Te Tiriti Book Gifted To Every NZ High School After Inspiring Talk

An author talk on Te Tiriti o Waitangi at Ponsonby’s Women’s Bookshop sparked an extraordinary act of generosity—an anonymous donor has offered to provide free copies of ‘Understanding Te Tiriti – A Handbook of Basic Facts’ to every high school across New Zealand.

A special presentation of the first of the donated books will take place this Friday 29 November 10.30am-11.30am at Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o te Raki Paewhenua, 7 Ceres Court, Rosedale.

At the same time, hundreds of books are being dispatched by a logistics centre in Rangiora to all High Schools around Aotearoa.

"I met the donors at my bookshop talk, where I gave a brief 20-minute presentation and signed copies. They went home, read the book, and were struck by how easy to understand it was. Inspired, they decided to help others discover it too," said Roimata Smail.

The busy barrister has spent two decades specialising in cases about Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The now best-selling author self-publishes thanks to the help of her whānau, and a small supportive team behind her educational enterprise, Wai Ako Books.

"The offer to put a book in every High School was a complete surprise—a dream come true. I’ve met so many wonderful people at talks and book signings since launching in January, but this was different. Out of nowhere, I got an email with an offer to help. It was absolutely amazing," she said.

Owner of the Ponsonby’s Women’s Bookshop, Carole Beu MNZM won't name the benefactors who she knows.

“But what I will say is the timing of this book is crucial, because we have a flourishing of everything Māori and Pakehā gaining new understandings of Māori values and Māori language – during a period when there is a government who is trying to do the complete opposite.”

“It was delightful to have Roimata in our bookshop. She was so gracious and gentle and inclusive, unlike some of the people in power who are doing the opposite,” Beu said.

“This book explains Te Tiriti clearly and simply so many things that members of the current government don't seem to understand.”

Roimata Smail’s vision of strengthening and supporting this next generation with Treaty knowledge is now on a fast track.

“It is my hope now with this generous support, that all high school students will get an opportunity to know what it took me 20 years to learn.”

“They'll get access to the clear, correct basic information before they leave High School,” Roimata said.

“Looking back, I knew nothing before I began working as a lawyer specialising in Te Tiriti. It didn’t need to be that way, because what I have learned in my career about Te Tiriti is not complicated.”

Local Members of Parliament have been invited to the gifting including Minister of Education Hon. Erica Stanford. Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o te Raki Paewhenua is in her East Coast Bays Electorate.

Earlier this year the Minister was reported saying, “yes we have a lot to learn from kura kaupapa.”

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