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He Whakaputanga, English

He Whakaputanga was signed on 28 October 1835 declaring New Zealand an independent nation. These resources cover the declaration, its significance, the articles, translations, signatories and why this document still matters today. SCIS no: 1894406

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Te Kara

Te Kara o Te Whakaminenga o Ngā Hapū o Nu Tirene, 1834.

He Whakaputanga: The Declaration of Independence

He Whakaputanga: The Declaration of Independence

Story: Busby, James -

James Busby was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on 7 February 1802, the second son of Sarah Kennedy and her husband, John Busby, a mineral surveyor and civil engineer. James Busby studied viticulture ...

180th anniversary of NZ's Declaration of Independence

Today marks 180 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence of New Zealand, with the anniversary being celebrated on the Waitangi Treaty grounds for the first time.

Why the Declaration of Independence still matters

Why the Declaration of Independence still matters

As well as being the official NZ Wars commemoration date, October 28 is celebrated by Northland iwi for the signing of the Declaration of Independence, a document that recognised Māori sovereignty,...

He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga

He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga

Koianei te tuhinga o He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga i hainatia e ngā rangatira e 34 o Te Taitokerau.

Hearings on Ngapuhi sovereignty continue at Waitangi

Hearings on Ngapuhi sovereignty continue at Waitangi

A second week of hearings is drawing to a close at Waitangi today on Ngaphui grievances about the Treaty and the New Zealand Declaration of Independence.

- He Whakaputanga - Declaration of Independence

On 28 October 1835, 34 rangatira signed He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tireni (the Declaration of Independence of the United Tribes of New Zealand).

He Whakaputanga – Declaration of Independence: The contents of the declaration

Framing the declaration The declaration was drafted by James Busby, Henry Williams and missionary printer William Colenso. The declaration that was signed was in Māori, but a translation into Engli...

Kaupapa On The Couch: The Declaration of Independence

Kaupapa On The Couch: The Declaration of Independence

Leonie Hayden presents Kaupapa On The Couch, a six-part webseries looking at issues in te ao Māori that aren’t as well known as they should be. Episode two of Kaupapa On The Couch looks at the f...

More hearings on 1835 sovereignty claim

The Waitangi Tribunal has begun a second week of hearings on the Ngapuhi claims involving the Treaty of Waitangi and the Declaration of Independence.

THE MAORI KING. (Colonist, 10 September 1858)

1831 letter to King William IV

This letter was sent to King William IV by 13 Māori chiefs from the Bay of Islands in 1831. Its main aim was to seek the king's protection against the French, who had recently sent a naval vessel t...

Ngā haki – Māori and flags:

Flag of the United Tribes of New Zealand The need for a state flag arose in the 1830s for New Zealand trading ships. The Sir George Murray, part-owned by northern chiefs Patuone and Taonui, flew a ...

United Tribes flag flies at Christchurch City Council

United Tribes flag flies at Christchurch City Council

From left to right: New Zealand flag, Christchurch heraldic flag, United Tribes flag. Waitangi Day. Monday 6 February 2017. Photo by Donna Robertson File Reference: 2017-02-06-IMG_8376 From the ...

United Tribes' flag

United Tribes' flag

Two Māori are shown below the flag of the United Tribes. The United Tribes, or Wakaminenga o Nu Tirene, signed the Declaration of Independence on 28 October 1835. Their flag had already been select...

New Zealand Company / United Tribes flag

New Zealand Company / United Tribes flag

This flag was made on the Tory during its voyage from England to New Zealand in 1839 and raised at Petone on 30 September. The Tory carried New Zealand Company agents who intended to buy land from ...

United Tribes of New Zealand

A perspective on He Whakaputanga from the United Tribes of New Zealand official website.

The British move towards annexation

Factors that resulted in British sovereign authority over New Zealand.

The life of Patuone

The life and times of Patuone, the celebrated Ngapuhi Chief.

Flagging authority

Reason why the Union Jack replaced the flag of the New Zealand Company.

The significance of He Whakaputanga

Without He Whakaputanga, there might have been no Treaty of Waitangi.

He Whakaputanga me te Tiriti

Discussion about the Declaration and the Treaty of Waitangi.

He Whenua Rangatira

Māori arrivals from 1200, European arrivals from 1642 and the signing of He Whakaputanga from 1835 to 1839.

Lost in translation

Mike King explores the background of the Treaty of Waitangi which includes the Declaration of Independence.

United Tribes flag

An account leading up to the selection of the first flag.

United Tribes flag

History of the Flag of the United Tribes of New Zealand (1834).

Patuone and commerce

Patuone was also in Sydney on a trading mission in November 1830 aboard the Sir George Murray.

Corralling consent

An inquiry into the mythical beginning of the New Zealand flag.

He tohu, ngā taonga tuku iho

Jacinta Beckwith remarks on her recent visit to the He Tohu exhibition of three iconic constitutional documents that shaped Aotearoa New Zealand.

Independence from Britain

Timeline of countries that have declared their independence from Britain.

Why some countries declare independence

Social studies resource toolkit on why countries declare independence.

American Declaration Of Independence

The adoption of the Declaration of Independence adopted in America on 4 July 1776.

United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

International recognition

He Whakaputanga added to UNESCO’s New Zealand documentary heritage register.

Carwyn Jones on He Whakaputanga

Carwyn Jones and historians explain how He Whakaputanga and The Treaty of Waitangi relate to each other.

King William IV

King of England at the time of He Whakaputanga.

United Tribes Ensign

United Tribes Ensign

The need for a flag became urgent when a Hokianga built ship Sir George Murray was seized by customs in Sydney in 1830. The reason? It did not have a flag declaring its nationality so it could pote...

McDonald, James Ingram, 1865-1935 :James Busby, British Resident, 1830. 1903.

James Busby was born in Scotland on 7 February 1802. He arrived in New Zealand in 1833 to become the first official British resident. In 1834 he held a meeting with the Māori chiefs at Waitangi to...

Photographer unknown :Portrait of Eruera Maihi Patuone

Eruera Maihi Patuone

Eruera Maihi Patuone was principal leader of Ngāti Hao. He was one of the 13 Māori leaders who signed a petition in 1831 asking King William IV for protection from the French. Patuone also signed H...

Waitangi Treaty House and grounds, Waitangi

Waitangi from the air

Waitangi, one of New Zealand’s most historic sites is located in the Bay of Islands. ‘Wai’ means waters and ‘tangi’ means noisy or weeping. Waitangi was where (in 1834) Māori chiefs gathered to se...

A declaration: He Whakaputanga

He Whakaputanga – the Declaration of Independence of the United Tribes of New Zealand – may be small in size, but it is hugely important.

He Whakaputanga/The Declaration of Independence, 1835

Differing viewpoints on whether the Treaty of Waitangi or the Declaration of Independence is a better model for relations between Māori and other New Zealanders.

He Whakaputanga expert Carwyn Jones

Carwyn Jones talks to the programme about He Whakaputanga - The Declaration of Independence signed by rangatira five years before Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

He Whakaputanga (Declaration of Independence) signatories

A database of signatories to He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tireni signed by 34 chiefs on 28 October 1835.

With the royals, 183 years after we declared our independence

With government officials, community leaders and the Crown coming together on the day of commemoration for the New Zealand Wars, it could have been a time to examine the wounds of colonisation.

The Declaration of the Independence of New Zealand

The te reo version and English version, (and other details) of the Declaration of Independence from Archives New Zealand.

Independence daze

Elaborates on the historical evidence which suggests that the 1835 Declaration of Independence and 1840 Treaty of Waitangi were not grand historical testaments, but rather were expedients cooked up...

Busby and the Declaration of Independence

Research on the true motives of James Busby’s hastily drawn up 1835 Declaration of Independence, which he claimed was to resist the intention of Baron Charles de Thierry to establish a sovereign st...

Find more information on this topic on EPIC. Databases recommended: New Zealand History Collection. School login maybe required.

Teaching and learning resources

He Tohu has resources from and activities to inspire and inform students' inquiry into concepts related to He Whakaputanga (the Declaration of Independence), Te Tiriti o Waitangi (the Treaty of Wai...

Declaration of Independence (New Zealand)

Many Answers has pages to guide you to reviewed websites and databases on He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga – The Declaration of Independence.

Eruera Pare Hongi

The final Māori text of He Whakaputanga was written by Eruera Pare Hongi, who also composed the first known independently-written letter in te reo Māori in 1825, when he was only 10 years old.

New Zealand before He Whakaputanga - Declaration of Independence

New Zealand before He Whakaputanga - Declaration of Independence

A series of important events before the signing of He Whakaputanga - Declaration of Independence.

Treaty of Waitangi

Treaty of Waitangi

Te Tiriti o Waitangi was signed in 1840. This topic covers our founding document, the different versions, main signatories, loss of treaty rights, impact on Māori, protests, timeline settlements, a...

Treaty of Waitangi

Treaty of Waitangi

Many Answers has information about the Treaty of Waitangi - Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Māori history post-European arrival

Māori history post-European arrival

The arrival of Captain Cook initiated a dynamic but increasingly unequal relationship between Māori and Pakeha through colonialism. From the Treaty of Waitangi and the New Zealand wars to land marc...

Journey of the Treaty of Waitangi

Journey of the Treaty of Waitangi

The journey of Treaty of Waitangi and its signatories is as important as the Treaty itself. This topic includes the events that followed the signing, and the shifting attitudes toward the Treaty ov...

New Zealand History

New Zealand History

The Māori were the first settlers of Aotearoa, followed by the Europeans. Discover the history of New Zealand’s landscape, its people, events, places, identity and cultures from sites like Te Ara, ...

New Zealand Wars

New Zealand Wars

The wars between the British Crown and Māori began in the 1840s. This topic covers the causes, participants, effects, movements and the battles fought on New Zealand soil. It also includes the cont...