Bishop Brian Tamaki seems to have taken a couple of popularist planks from President Trump’s platform. At Waitangi, last Thursday he railed against immigrants and also suggested: “We should drain the Wellington bureaucratic swamp”. The Destiny Church leader was described in the Waitangi Day service schedule booklet as an ‘Apostle Bishop’. Tamaki had arrived with Read more
Cardinal John Dew preached a message of religious tolerance, inclusion and acceptance when giving the homily on Waitangi Day. Dew, the Archbishop of Wellington, urged New Zealanders to recommit to protecting the beliefs of followers of all religions and of non-religious people. Preaching at the interdenominational church service at Waitangi on Thursday, Dew recalled the Read more
For four days over the last weekend, I travelled with friends down from Auckland through the Waikato and King Country to Taranaki, seeking insights from history and hope for the future. Our journey was an early celebration of Waitangi Day, anguish, reconciliation and all. Our first stop was St John’s church in Te Awamutu, Waikato’s Read more
Long-serving organiser of the annual Waitangi Festival, Pita Paraone, says Ratana leaders have shown it is possible to hold a dignified pōwhiri for the Crown while still making a strong protest against the TPP, and Waitangi elders should follow suit. Fears of a sizeable protest from anti-TPPA protesters at the annual Ratana Church celebrations in Read more
St Mary of the Angels, Ngākau Tapu (personal parish to Māori) and Te Kainga Marae are hosting a Waitangi Day Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral on Saturday 6 February 2016 at 9am. There is choir practice the night before at 7.30pm at Sacred Heart Cathedral. It’s a great time, under the direction of Robert Oliver Read more
In a show of unity, MPs from all parties walked onto the upper marae together for the Waitangi Day Dawn Service, with Labour leader David Cunliffe following just behind Prime Minister John Key. At the Service, overseen by Bishop Kito Pikaahu, Key lead the congregation in prayer thanking the nations forefathers for their “courage to come together and Read more
The Governor General Sir Jerry Mateparae says the conflicts that arise on Waitangi Day are only a small part of the holiday. “There are events happening all around the country which are about celebration… I think there’s a whole lot of New Zealanders that are celebrating.” He says that while he thinks there is “a Read more
I’m sorry we upset the British with our antics in London on Waitangi Day. They’re not used to this sort of thing. The British are known for their abstemious ways with alcohol, and the respectful way they behave on, for example, soccer grounds. They may be known for their steady drinking at neighbourhood pubs, their Read more