On 28 October 1835, James Busby called a hui (meeting) at Waitangi. Thirty-four northern chiefs who became known as the Confederation of United Tribes signed ‘A Declaration of the Independence of New Zealand’ and called upon King William IV of Britain to become their ‘parent’ and ‘Protector’. They also thanked the King for acknowledging their flag. Between 1835 and 1839 a document called the Declaration of Independence was signed by 52 Māori chiefs, most of them living in Northland. It was drawn up by official British Resident James Busby after rumours that Frenchman Charles de Thierry was coming to New Zealand to set himself up as a sovereign leader caused concern for both Busby and the The declaration was signed in 1835 by 35 Rangatira (maori leaders) and four British Residents. This declaration states the sovereignty (Te mana i te whenua) that existed in 1835 and was designed to promote and protect the rights of Māori. Thirty-four northern chiefs signed He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tireni (the Declaration of Independence of the United Tribes of New Zealand) at a hui called by the British Resident, James Busby. The previous year many of these chiefs had gathered to choose a national flag to fly on locally owned ships (see 20 March). He Whakaputanga – Declaration of Independence by Basil Keane. In 1835 northern chiefs signed a Declaration of Independence, asserting their sovereignty over New Zealand. The declaration had been drafted by a British official, prompted in part by rumours that a Frenchman was planning to declare himself king of New Zealand. James Busby, the first British Resident in New Zealand. On 28 October 1835, the Declaration of the Independence of New Zealand was signed by the United Tribes of New Zealand, a loose confederation of Māori tribes from the far north of New Zealand organised by British resident James Busby. On 28 October 1835 the official British Resident (a representative of the British Government) James Busby convinced 34 northern Māori chiefs to sign a Declaration of Independence at Waitangi, in the Bay of Islands. It was declared at Waitangi on 28 October 1835. The signatories were members of Te Wakaminenga, also known as “the Confederation of Chiefs”. Thirty-four rangatira from the North signed the declaration at Waitangi. On 28 October 1835, at the home of British Resident James Busby in Waitangi, 34 northern chiefs signed He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tireni (known in English as the Declaration of Independence of the United Tribes of New Zealand). He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga – The Declaration of Independence was signed on 28 October 1835 by 34 northern Māori chiefs. The document declared the independence of Nu Tirene (New Zealand) under the rule of the United Tribes of New Zealand, also called the Confederation of United Tribes. Below is a database of signatories to He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tireni (known in English as the Declaration of Independence of the United Tribes of New Zealand), which was signed by 34 chiefs on 28 October 1835. By 1839, 18 more chiefs had signed He Whakaputanga, which was acknowledged by the British government. He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tireni – known in English as the Declaration of Independence of the United Tribes of New Zealand – is a constitutional document of historical and cultural significance. On 28 October 1835, with James Busby, the British Resident in New Zealand, the declaration was signed by 34 northern Māori chiefs, including Tāmati Wāka Nene, Tītore, Te Wharerahi and Moka Te Kainga-mataa. Further signatures followed and by 1839, a total of 52 chiefs had signed. [2] The Declaration of Independence – He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tirene – was signed at Waitangi in 1835 by the United Tribes, a group of northern chiefs, asserting their sovereignty over New Zealand. This document, along with the Treaty of Waitangi, biblical translations and land deeds, is one of the earliest examples of written On 28 October 1835, 34 rangatira signed He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tireni (the Declaration of Independence of the United Tribes of New Zealand). He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga – The Declaration of Independence was signed on 28 October 1835 by 34 northern Māori chiefs. The document declared the independence of Nu Tirene (New Zealand) under the rule of the United Tribes of New Zealand, also called the Confederation of United Tribes. He Whakaputanga was signed on 28 October 1835 declaring New Zealand an independent nation. These resources cover the declaration, its significance, the articles, translations, signatories and why this document still matters today. SCIS no: 1894406 The Declaration of Independence of the United Tribes of New Zealand 2015 He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tireni is an international declaration and constitutional document of the 1830s that signalled the emergence of Māori authority on the world stage. First signed by 34 Northern Māori rangatira (chiefs) on 28 October 1835, He Whakaputanga collected a further 18 signatures by 1839. This included Te Hāpuku of Hawkes Bay, and the Waikato leader Te Wherowhero, who later became the first Māori King. In 1835 northern chiefs signed a Declaration of Independence, asserting their sovereignty over New Zealand. The declaration had been drafted by a British official, prompted in part by rumours that a Frenchman was planning to declare himself king of New Zealand.
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