I decided to visit Cornwall Park again today but this time, I walked to the top of Maungakiekie. I saw lots more sheep on the way!
It's lambing season so there were so many little ones!
The view from the top was pretty nice. If you look closely, you can see the Sky Tower in Auckland.
After learning about how New Zealand was colonized in my MAORI 130 class, it actually made me laugh to see this written on the monument:
In reality, Maori never gave away their sovereignty to the British Crown. Only a few Maori chiefs actually signed the english language document called The Treaty of Waitangi. Instead, over 500 chiefs signed Te Tiriti o Waitangi, written in the Maori language, which states that Maori have rights to their taonga, or all the things they value and hold dear, including authority and power over their lands and their people. This wording is very different from english language document which states that Maori people would cede sovereignty to the crown. This is one of many instances where the two documents contradict one another.
Even though Te Tiriti is now the only version of the treaty that is recognized under New Zealand law, unfortunately, the lie that Maori people surrendered their authority to the British Crown has been repeated and accepted as the truth by many New Zealanders. As a result, Maori lands have been confiscated, Maori people have been opressed and marginalized, and the Maori language and culture have been attacked.
There is so much more to this story, but I just wanted to share a little bit of what I have learned from the many Maori scholars who have shared their stories and knowledge in my MAORI130 course.
Anyway, here's some more sheep to lighten the mood :)
P.S. Here's a link to a video to a video about the controversial history of "One Tree Hill": https://www.renews.co.nz/a-history-of-maungakiekie-one-tree-hill/
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