News Release For Immediate Release February 2, 2011

Waitangi Day Festival Celebrates What It Is To Be An Aucklander

Ngati Whatua o Orakei extends a warm welcome to everyone as they again host the Waitangi Day celebrations alongside the Auckland Council on February 6 at Okahu Bay.

It will be a day where Aucklanders can give positive expression to what Waitangi Day is all about with the celebration of the partnership that has existed in the city between Mana Whenua and those descended from settlers and more recent arrivals to Auckland.

Ngati Whatua o Orakei Maori Trust Board Chairman Grant Hawke says Ngati Whatua will be extending manaaki or hospitality to people of the city just as it has since the arrival of Governor Hobson and before.

“This year as a city we also welcome a new mayor for all of Auckland. It is symbolic that we will welcome him at Okahu Bay which was where Ngati Whatua welcomed Governor Hobson when he arrived here in 1840.

“Everyone is welcome to come along and celebrate what is good about our city.”

He says there will be a powhiri at 9am welcoming Mayor Len Brown and the arrival of waka hourua or traditional sailing waka from Hawkes Bay.

There will also be a kids' talent quest and a superb music line up with Katchafire, Herbs, 1814, Souljah, Tiger Hour, Adeaze and Anita Prime.

For Ngati Whatua o Orakei this year’s Waitangi Day festival has extra meaning as 2011 is when their long delayed Treaty of Waitangi settlement is due to be completed.

The day will be family-focused and alcohol free. The aim is also for the event to be zero waste with volunteers manning bins to separate the waste stream. In the past the festival has an average 84% waste diversion rate with organic waste going to the marae worm farms.

All the crew running the event are from the Orakei community.

ENDS

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