NT Maori community recognised at Darwin Parliament House on Waitangi Day

More than 200 Territorians gathered to commemorate New Zealand’s most significant date and Darwin’s Maori community. Watch the spirited Haka here.

The Waitangi Treaty may have been signed a world away, but its significance echoed in the halls of Parliament House in Darwin this week.

On Tuesday, more than 200 Territorians gathered in Parliament House and enjoyed the spirit of traditional song and dance by Darwin’s Maori diaspora, who commemorated the date in which Maoris and Pakehas came together.

Darwin’s Maori community graced Darwin’s Parliament House with traditional song and dance in commemoration of Waitangi Day. Photo: Harry Brill.

First Nations woman and Multicultural Affairs Minister Ngaree Ah Kit thanked the Maori community for choosing the Territory to be their home.

“I just want to say thank you for choosing Darwin, for choosing the Northern Territory and for choosing Australia,” she said.

“Thank you for being so strong in your culture and including people like me.”

Territory leaders were among the 200-strong gathered at Parliament House, for Waitangi Day. Photo: Harry Brill.

For New Zealand, the Treaty of Waitangi was named after the location that it was signed in 1840 and symbolises the partnership of mutual respect that New Zealand seeks to execute in both domestic and foreign policy today.

A First Nations woman, Ms Ah Kit said she appreciated New Zealand’s “fight to succeed”.

“We take a lot of strength from your fight to succeed, where you have come from over the years, and I’ve always been a little envious and a little bit jealous that your country was founded on the Waitangi Treaty.”