Dignitaries and members of the public - a crowd of about 300 people - were welcomed to Otakou marae this morning as Waitangi Day celebrations in the south began.
The Otago Peninsula was the setting for the most significant Treaty of Waitangi commemorations in the South Island today as it took its turn to host the event as one of the three sites where Ngai Tahu signed the founding document for modern New Zealand.
At Otakou the treaty was signed on June 13, 1840 -- nearly 180 years ago.
Dunedin Mayor Aaron Hawkins, one of five visiting dignitaries to speak on the day, said the relationship of Maori and pakeha was better described as a ‘‘partnership’’ between the two groups.
And on this day he represented ‘‘those who have taken up too much room for too long" and who "need to make a little space’’.
A Parihaumia performance opened the public celebrations at 11.30am and were followed by speeches from Lisa Tumahai, Pirimia Burger, Peter Burger, Dr Michael Stevens, and Edward Ellison.
