Waitangi – What Really Happened

The Treaty Of Waitangi must be the most sacred, revered and talked about document in New Zealand history. But if you ask a New Zealander how it actually came to be written, or who pulled it all together on the day and who was present at the signing, at most two names may be cited: William Hobson and Hone Heke.

Directed by Peter Meteherangi Tikao Burger (Go Girls), written by Gavin Strawhan (This Is Not My Life, Go Girls), with novelist Witi Ihimaera as story consultant, Sunday Theatre: Waitangi - What Really Happened is an entertaining, colourful docu-drama about the days leading up to and including the signing of the treaty, revealing the incredible story and the characters behind the treaty's creation.

Strawhan, who co-wrote the recent TV ONE drama, This Is Not My Life and the award-winning returning series for TV2 Go Girls, says of writing the script, "it was great - and incredibly challenging - to have the opportunity to explore and research the signing of the treaty and turn it into a screen play."

As an Australian who has settled in New Zealand, he says, "coming as I do, from a country with no treaty and an appalling track record in the treatment of the indigenous people, I have a great deal of respect for the Treaty of Waitangi. It's amazing that New Zealand has one at all, and I was fascinated by the interplay of characters and events that made it possible." He adds, "and perhaps being an outsider has given me a bit of objectivity."

"But I know enough about human nature to know that it didn't happen because of a group of noble men who all got together and decided to make a treaty out of purely noble reasons. A reading of history and documents of the time soon suggests a lot of personal agendas and egos at play," Strawhan continues.

"I think it's ironic that the British didn't really want New Zealand as a colony but had their hand forced and I think it's incredible that Hobson arrived with no treaty prepared, and that Busby and others had to cobble it together and get it translated at the last minute."

"But one of the points I wanted to make was that the tangata whenua were not acting in unison as a united group with common aims, but were comprised of many individual chiefs, all with different motives and objectives."

Strawhan talks about how he approached the screenplay for the docu-drama, "I thought it was important to use humour as a way of making an exploration of this event accessible and enjoyable and not just a dry history lesson."

"In the journey from research to script, it has been a privilege to work with people like Witi, Merimeri Penfold, Paul Moon and Robin Scholes and Director Peter Burger. The attention to historical detail by designer Tracy Collins and her team is incredible. And I feel humbled to have some of the finest actors in the country, Maori and Pakeha, bringing the characters to life," Strawhan concludes.

Director, Peter Burger talks about what the project meant to him, " I acknowledge the Treaty as a symbol of our history of colonisation. I acknowledge its mana. And I also acknowledge that while the details around its inception involved lofty aspirations, there were also egos and pettiness. There were detailed plans, and there was utter chaos, and there was a lot of improvisation. There were imperfections galore, as there has been throughout the history of New Zealand since. We evolved in chaos, and that chaos has lead to who we are today; a proud little nation which is still grappling with who it is, and will continue to do so for a long while yet. And huzzah for us."

The premise of the show involves time travelling a reporter to 1840, where he finds a host of colourful characters all playing a vital role in what later became Kiwi history. He meets: Kawiti (George Henare), Hone Heke (Jarod Rawiri), Hariata Rongo (Miriama Mcdowell), Te Kemera Kaiteke (Rawiri Paratene), Marupo (Antonio Te Maioha), Tamati Waka Nene (Calvin Tuteao), Patuone (William Davis), James Busby (Stephen Lovatt), William Colenso (Matt Norton), Willam Hobson (Phil Peleton), Henry Williams (Peter Daube), James Stuart Freeman (Craig Parker), the Reverend Ironside (Simon London), Jack Jones (Stig Eldred), Johnson (Roy Snow), Bishop Jean Baptiste Francois Pompallier (Edwin Wright), Rewa (Lawrence Wharerau) and Naval Officer (Mark Mitchinson).

Told over three acts, the drama begins on 3rd of February, 1840 as Busby and Colenso have asked a number of significant Nga Puhi chiefs to converge to discuss the Treaty - but as yet, there is no Treaty. It emerges Hobson has not even begun to write it when he arrives by ship. Meanwhile, Maori leaders try to understand what exactly the British hope to achieve and what advantage there might be in making a pact with the English. Finally, in desperation, Busby, Colenso and others, take Hobson's brief and knock together the Treaty. It is then passed on to Henry Williams and his son, Edward who work on the Maori translation.

It then moves to 5th February and around 400 Maori Chiefs have gathered as Hobson reads out the Treaty in English, with Henry Williams translating. Hobson then throws open the floor for discussion, and Chief after Chief speak out against the Treaty in very strong terms. Until Hone Heke - Henry Williams' wild card - takes the floor.

It's 6th February and the Maori chiefs are leaving. Pompallier requests that another article be added to the Treaty ensuring his religion will not be interfered with. Hobson can see this as a way of getting the Catholic Chiefs onside and quickly suggests some appropriate wording. There's a tense pause and then Hone Heke comes forward to sign, beginning the process that leads to 43 others signing - but for many and mixed motives.

The signing of the treaty is usually portrayed as a solemn occasion but few know that it emerged out of a combination of chaos, lack of preparation, humour, goodwill and mixed motives. In hindsight is can seem a miracle that the treaty was ever signed.