The Dunedin City Council is honouring Waitangi Day this year by flying the flags representing the two Rūnaka which have mana whenua status over the takiwa the city is built on.

The Huirapa flag is from Kāti Huirapa Rūnaka ki Puketeraki and the Te Mahi Tamariki flag represents Ōtākou Rūnaka. Both flags have been used by mana whenua since the 1870s and continue to be flown on the marae for various occasions.

In the spirit of the Treaty of Waitangi, signed by Kāi Tahu Rakatira and British officials at Ōtakou in 1840, the DCC is flying the flags from the Civic Centre in The Octagon this weekend to acknowledge its Treaty partnership with mana whenua. This is the second year the DCC has done this.

DCC Manahautu - General Manager Māori, Partnerships, Policy Jeanette Wikaira says the DCC thanks mana whenua for agreeing to their flags being flown from the Civic Centre on this important occasion.

Ms Wikaira says that Waitangi Day celebrations being held at Ōtākou Marae on Monday are an opportunity to focus on partnership. The DCC is maturing its understanding of Treaty partnership with mana whenua and there have been significant steps taken in recent years. These include:

• In 2021, the Council voted to establish mana whenua positions to represent Māori interests on two of its standing committees. This commitment has continued under the Mayor and Council in the new triennium.
• In 2022, the Council voted to sign an updated Partnership Agreement, Manatu Whakaaetaka, replacing a 2006 memorandum of understanding. The new partnership between Kāti Huirapa Rūnaka ki Puketeraki, Te Rūnanga ō Ōtākou and the DCC ensures representation of mana whenua when making local government decisions.
• The partnership agreement also established Te Pae Māori – a new forum for mana whenua and mataawaka representatives from each of the three marae within Ōtepoti (Ōtākou, Puketeraki and Araiteuru) and all of Council. Te Pae Māori will meet regularly on each of the marae to discuss areas of strategic priority to Māori and Council. An introductory meeting was held this week to establish the partnership foundations for the year ahead.

More information about the Monday’s Waitangi Day celebrations at Ōtākou Marae are available on Te Runanga o Ōtākou website. The public is welcome to attend and free buses to and from the event will be running thanks to the Otago Regional Council.

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