Treaty of Waitangi

Maori:

Tiriti o Waitangi has caused oh so many problems and meetings. Thankfully, the gods have allowed us all to agree to sign the treaty. All the chiefs went into a Tape Nakara and waited for hours until they were called upon to sign it, and for some those hours were many.

I could feel the prickly grass brush against my feet as I walked towards the British missionary. I felt nervous because I have never done something like this in my life before.  I glanced down at the treaty, confused at what I had to do. Like many, I had never signed my name before. My heart was racing. There was another paper next to it with words I didn’t understand on it.

I could feel the adrenaline kick in, I picked up the feather and I wrote. The atmosphere was dead silent, all the sweat alone produced by me, would be able to water the crops around my village.

I placed the feather on the table. My signature was officially permanent on the Tiriti o Waitangi. I turned around and walked back to where my tribe had been standing stifling in this heat. I noticed everyone silently searching for the breeze.

The temperature in this Tape Nakara was AUE too hot and the strong scents of nature filled the air. I’m surrounded by odors that have created a stench so strong, I found myself joining the silent search for that breeze.

The wait felt like forever. When I finally walked out of the Tape Nakara with pride and realised I had never felt so much jubilation.

British:

The process of gathering the many signatures required to complete the Treaty of Waitangi had begun earlier this morning. As missionaries, we had fulfilled our quest to our Queen. Just another few weeks in this uncooperative weather, and we’ll be gone. Hooray!

I sat there waiting for the Maori Chiefs to sign the treaty. My bottom so numb from all that sitting. This was a long slow drawn out process.

Everybody waited as signature after signature was placed. As time elapsed, facial expressions inside this confined space, changed from ones of elation, to those of nausea due to the horrendous stench of body odour that surrounded us.

The temperature had risen quickly. Perspiration started to become noticeable on all of us inside the white tent. I positioned myself near the entrance of the tent so the outside breeze could cool me down. Luckily I didn’t have to witness the signatures so I was able to move towards the door. I felt sorry for the other men and women who had a much more important role to play today.

As the last person placed their signature, everyone appeared  satisfied with the outcome that the Treaty of Waitangi had come to a resolution.

Our recount is a collaboration that showcases our thoughts on the experience of+  the Treaty of Waitangi. It is told from two perspectives, a Maori tribe chief and a British missionary. We wrote the perspectives based on the information we encountered online. The focus of this task was to experiment and expand our vocabulary.