Welcome for Tuia 250 flotilla at Waitangi

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2019

The Tuia 250 flotilla crews, trainees and dignitaries were welcomed at Te Tii Marae in Waitangi today as the vessels sailed into Pēwhairangi Bay of Islands.
Local waka taua went out to meet the vessels, and the waka hourua came in to Waitangi beach in front of crowds of people. A haka was performed after arriving at Te Tou Rangatira.

“The spirit of listening, learning and understanding that has been part of Tuia 250 in every community visited so far has been very inspiring and that was alive and well here at Te Tii today,” says Tuia 250 National Coordinating Committee Co-Chair Dame Jenny Shipley.

“Tuia 250 is about creating a space for the sharing of stories and the expression of keenly held opinions. It is very encouraging that Tuia 250 enables many people through this sharing process to come to a deeper understanding and appreciation of each other’s point of view and each other’s history and culture.”

The symbolism of this event at Te Tii Marae in the context of Tuia 250 is immense.

“Waitangi, and Te Tii Marae in particular, has been the site where so much kōrero has taken place as Māori considered whether to sign the Treaty or not. In the 80’s and 90’s protesters called on Governments to honour the Treaty, and now as part of Tuia 250 ongoing conversations are being had about how we weave our cultures together to build a shared future in Aotearoa. We believe Tuia 250 brings a new spirit of openness and understanding to Waitangi,” says Dame Jenny.

Tuia 250 Co-Chair Hoturoa Barclay-Kerr says: “Tuia 250 is about dual heritage and a shared future. What I’m seeing as the Tuia 250 Voyage unfolds is that there’s a greater willingness to acknowledge the wrongdoings of the past, and that will be hugely beneficial to take us into the future,” says Hoturoa.

Video available:
Interview with Tuia 250 Co-Chair Dame Jenny Shipley:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1r2bWz1QD8YJnIuZqLJcePRGHuU9N0eGS
Stunning drone footage of Flotilla in the Bay of Islands: https://www.dropbox.com/s/u7otvj7aqejmoao/Endeavour%20-%20Bay%20of%20Islands%204K%20-%20Credit%3A%20Shoot%20North.mov?dl=0

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