Discussing the Significance of Waitangi Day w/ Professor Margaret Mutu - February 08, 2022.

Waitangi Day on February 6th is a public holiday that acknowledges and celebrates the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840. This Treaty is what many consider to be the founding of New Zealand today and vital to the current societal landscape of the country. However, the contents of both the Māori and English versions of the Treaty have been frequently debated for decades, with the translations having wording and definition inconsistencies. Due to this, Waitangi Day is not only seen as a time to celebrate New Zealand as a country but to acknowledge the hardship and discrimination Māori have faced since the signing of the Treaty. Emily Bell spoke to Professor Margaret Mutu of Māori Studies from the University of Auckland about the significance of Waitangi Day, the impact the Treaty has had on Māori lives and improvements to the country that could further equality for Māori.