Speech
Te Tii Marae
Tihe mauri ora! He wehi ki te Atua, He maungārongo ki runga ki te whenua, He whakaaro pai ki ngā tāngata katoa.
Papatuanuku e takoto nei. Te tipuna whare e tū nei, Te whare o Te Tii Marae: Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Te Moana o Pewhairangi i waho rā, Aku mihi ki a koutou.
Ki ngā manu tioriori karanga, Ngā Rangatira wahapū kōrero o Ngāpuhi, o Te Taitokerau, Karanga mai, mihi mai.
Mihi mai i runga i ngā mate Kei tua o Paerau, kua okioki. Ko Tā Atawhai Taiaroa, Ko Te Aue Davis, Rātou katoa kua mene ki te po, Moe mai, moe mai.
Mihi mai ki taku ope kua whakaeke nei, Taku hoa rangatira – Kahurangi Huhana Kahurangi Sian Elias Te Tumuaki o Ngā Kōti, Tony Parr,Te Tumu Whakarae o Te Taua Moana O Aotearoa Me aku kaimahi. Mihi mai hoki, I raro i ngā kaupapa whakanui, I te rā mō Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Koia nei te Kawenata Tūāpapa, i honohono i a ngai Māori, Me te Karauna, arā Te Kuini o Ingarangi.
Tenei ahau, Te Māngai a Kuini Irihāpeti Taku mihi whakamutunga Ki runga i Te Tii Marae Ki a Ngapuhi nui tonu, Huri noa,huri noa, Tēnā koutou, Mauri ora ki a tātou katoa. Ka huri!
This speech was delivered in te reo Māori. A translation is:
Let there be life! Acknowledge God, Peace on Earth and Goodwill to Mankind.
To Mother Earth hereunder, these houses standing here, and this house at Te Tii Marae called The Treaty of Waitangi, to the Bay of Islands out there, greetings to you all.
To the Ladies calling, to the Chiefly speakers of Ngāpuhi and Northland I acknowledge your call and welcome.
I acknowledge your welcome for those who have taken the long sleep: Sir Archie Taiaroa; Mrs Aue Davis; and all others who have passed on, sleep on, sleep on.
I acknowledge your welcome to my group and to my wife – Lady Susan, and to Dame Sian Elias, Chief Justice, to Rear Admiral Tony Parr, Chief of Navy of the Royal New Zealand Navy and my staff.
Your welcome also, within the main purpose, which is to do with Waitangi Day and the Treaty of Waitangi. This is the Foundation document that united Māoridom and the Crown, or the Queen of England.
I, the representative of Queen Elizabeth, extend my final greetings on Te Tii Marae, to all of Ngāpuhi and to all gathered: Greetings and life’s wellbeing to us all.