The trickynewss of translation

This weeks session focus on the specific events surrounding the signing of the Treaty and the problem of the translation into 2 languages. Fun fact - only 43 signed the English language version, more than 400 signed the Te Reo version. And all 3 articles have significant 'lost in translation' issues.

In this blog post titled "Why do Maori get their own hui again?" there is an interesting discussion of Maori succeeding as Maori and also a reference to the Treaty.

Article 2 of Te Tiriti o Waitangi is Rangatiratanga. In essence, article 2 is an agreement between the Crown and Māori as Tangata Whenua of Aotearoa, that Māori would be empowered to be and live as Māori. Furthermore, Māori would have the power to act and the power to make decisions for themselves as a people – Māori will have self determination. To assert one’s rangatiratanga; is the act of being Māori in all that it encompasses, and to have decisions made by Māori for Māori and in the best interest of Māori. “It is about Māori acting with authority and independence over our own affairs. Tino rangatiratanga is a practice: living according to our tikanga, and striving wherever possible to ensure that the homes, land, and resources guaranteed to us under Te Tiriti o Waitangi are protected for the use and enjoyment of future generations.” (Hitchcock, 2018).