The Speeches Of The Chiefs, Waitangi February 6th, 1840

The Speeches Of Maori Chiefs In The Tent At Waitangi On The 5th Of February 1840, The Day Before The Treaty Was Signed. These are the words spoken by 14 Chiefs immediately following the reading the Treaty of Waitangi in English and Maori by Rev Henry Williams 5th of February 1840 recorded by William Colenso. This was followed by hours of discussion and clause by clause explanation from Rev Williams and Governor Hobson. The remarkable feature of these speeches is that everyone, both for and against, had a clear understanding that this agreement would place them as well as the pakeha under the rule of the Queen and the Governor, William Hobson. The first speaker was Te Kemara, chief of the Ngati Kawa tribe. Health to thee, O Governor. This is mine to thee. I am not pleased toward thee. I will not consent to thy remaining here in this country. If thou stayest as Governor, then perhaps Te Kemara will be judged and condemned. Yes indeed, and more than that- even hung by the neck. No no no, I shall never say yes to your staying. Were we to be an equality , then perhaps Te Kemara would say yes. But for the Governor to be up and Te Kemara to be down – Governor high up up up, and Te Kemara down low, small, a worm, a crawler. No no no, O Governor. This is mine to thee. O Governor, my land is gone, gone, all gone. The inheritances of my ancestors, fathers, relatives, all gone, stolen, gone with the missionaries. Yes, they have it all, all, all. That man there, the Busby, the Williams, they have my land. The land on which we are now standing this day is mine. This land even under my feet, return this to me. O Governor, return me my lands. Say to Williams. ‘Return to Te Kemara his land’. Thou thou thou, thou baldheaded man, thou hast got my lands. O Governor, I do not wish you to stay. You English are not kind to us like other foreigners. You do not give us good things. I say, go back Governo; we do not want thee here in this country. And Te Kemara says to thee, go back, leave to Busby and to Williams to arrange and settle matters for us natives as heretofore. Te Kemara later admitted the French Bishop Pompallier had told him, ‘Not to write on the paper, for if he did, he would be made a slave’ Te Kemara had already sold most of his land. The next speaker was Rewa, chief of the Ngati Taweke tribe. How d’ye do , Mr Governor. This is mine to thee, O Governor . Go back; let the Governor return to his own country. Let my lands be returned to me which have been taken by the missionaries – by Davis and Clarke and by who and who beside. I have no lands now – only my name. Foreigners come, they know Mr. Rewa, but this is all I have left – a name. What do native men want of a Governor? We are not white or foreigners. This country is ours, but the land is gone. Nevertheless, we are the Governor – we the chiefs of this our father’s land. I will not say ‘Yes’ to the Governor remaining. No no no, return. What! This land become like Port Jackson, and all the lands seen by the English. No no no, return. I, Rewa say to thee, O Governor go back. Send the man away. Do not sign the paper. If you do you will be reduced to the condition of slaves, and be compelled to break stones on the roads. Your land will be taken from you and your dignity as chief will be destroyed. The next speaker was Moka, chief of the Patukeha tribe. Let the governor return to his own country. Let us remain where we are. Let my lands be returned to me – all of them – those that are gone with Baker. Do not say ‘the lands will be returned to you’. Who will listen to thee, O governor? Who will obey thee? Where is Clendon? Where is Mair? Gone to buy, buy our land, not withstanding the book.(Proclamation) of the Governor. Hobson interrupted the speaker saying any lands illegally taken would be returned. ‘That is good. O Governor. That is straight. But stay, let me see. Yes yes indeed. Where is Baker? Where is the fellow. Ah, there he is – there standing. Come return to me my lands. To this Mr Baker. We shall see whether they shall return. Moka continued. There, there, that is as I said. No no no, all false, all false, all false, alike. The lands will not be returned to me.