Deciphering OUR HISTORY

Michèle wonders why she's just learning about a 190-year-old document

- MICHELE A'COURT

On a recent Monday night, when I might have otherwise been sitting on the couch watching the latest season of The Diplomat (isn't it great?!), I was instead on a Zoom call talking about He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tireni.

The what now? It's a fair question - I knew nothing of this document until recently, which is remarkable given it has been around for 190 years.

But there are people who have grown up knowing about the Declaration of Rangatiratanga, initially signed in 1835 by 34 Northern Māori leaders, with 18 more coming on board by 1839.

It's not a lengthy document.