"Waitangi is always a spectacle, one of the few massive gatherings in a year that embrace the Te Ao Māori of our society and bring it out into the open with power. We went with an invite along with other climate justice groups around the country to listen, understand and tautoko.

The main thought that was solidified for me is that there is no single Māori voice. In a country that tries to assimilate all of Māori people into te ao pākehā, there are many different voices, and we need to listen to all.

There are voices that call for assimilation; for nothing to change; for better representation; for co-governance; for complete re-imagination of our structure; and for armed resistance. There is always a Māori voice that will be saying what you want to hear, that doesn’t mean you can stop listening to the other ones.

We know that Te Tiriti wasn’t signed by all the rangatira of the country, some were missed (especially the wāhine), and some did not agree. Māori were not unified, are not unified, on anything, but that all means that making decisions within those viewpoints should never be taken away.

Tino rangatiratanga is giving the right of decision-making that impacts Māori, to Māori. Pākehā governance tries to take these decisions away, and to remove the range of Māori voices. Listening, reflecting, and supporting tino rangatiratanga at it’s core is important, and it’s what we’ll continue to try stand and do."

Photos: a selection of landscapes taken at Waitangi including dawn service, he whakaputanga flags, waka coming in, and speeches