Origin of the Tangata Tiriti – Treaty People programme
The initiative for the educational programme came from calls made by Dr Nagalingam Rasalingam of the Refugee Council of New Zealand and Shakti Migrant Services at Treaty Conference 2000: Tauiwi communities affirm the Treaty of Waitangi to provide Treaty education in plain English for new migrants.
The development of the Tangata Tiriti – Treaty People book was overseen by migrant community leaders, experienced Treaty educators, English language tutors and Māori elders.
The New Zealand Federation of Ethnic Councils, ESOL Home Tutors (now English Language Partners), Unitec, Waitakere Multicultural Society and Auckland Regional Migrant Services were involved in trials of the learning activities.
Early sponsors
The kaiwhakarite of the Human Rights Commission in the early 2000s, Matua Bobby Newson, convened the development meetings, and gave the book its title. Māori Human Rights commissioner, Dr Meremere Penfold, provided the foreword in the book.
Producing the Tangata Tiriti – Treaty People book
Authors
Treaty Education for Migrants Steering Group was formed with Dr Rasalingam, Pākehā Treaty educators Marisa Maclachlan and Ingrid Huygens, and Race Relations coordinator Rohan Jaduram. Together with Sarah de Souza, this group are named as the authors of the resource.
Publisher
The book was published in 2006 by Auckland Workers Educational Association (AWEA). It was reprinted in 2009.
Launch
The resource was launched at Ōrākei Marae in November 2006 by Danny Te Puna Tumahai and his whānau (Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei) who had presided at Treaty Conference 2000. The resource was blessed by Haare Williams (Ngāi Tūhoe, Te Āitanga-a-Māhaki). Chief Human Rights Commissioner, Rosslyn Noonan, spoke in support of the resource.
Producing the Easy Read book about the Treaty of Waitangi
The Easy Read book about the Treaty of Waitangi was commissioned by Te Anga Paua, the Māori advisory group for IDEA Services. Nicolina Newcombe is named as author, and consultants from the disability sector helped to design the book. People First’s Make It Easy translation service translated the book into Easy Read format. Tangata Tiriti-Treaty People Inc edited and published the book. New editions are designed in partnership with the relevant target group.
The Easy Read book will be launched at Hui Te Rangiora marae in Kirikiriroa/Hamilton in February 2020.
Funders
Human Rights Commission and Auckland Workers Education Association funded the Tangata Tiriti-Treaty People workbook. Settlement Support New Zealand funded the reprint. IHC Foundation funded the Easy Read book about the Treaty of Waitangi. Funders for workshops and facilitator trainings are various, with particular acknowledgement of the Ethnic Communities Development Fund.
Distributors
Tangata Tiriti-Treaty People is distributed by Belong Aotearoa. It is available as a book and in pdf format.
The Easy Read book about the Treaty of Waitangi is distributed through our website.
Ongoing work
We are a Charitable Society distributing the Tangata Tiriti – Treaty People workbook and Easy Read book about the Treaty of Waitangi, running Treaty education workshops, and training Treaty facilitators.
Ongoing income
We are a not-for-profit organisation. A number of funders support our programmes for communities and development of resources in many languages. Our workshops are funded by the client or community host organisation, or their funders. Sales of books or resources go towards the costs of their production and printing.
We welcome joint ventures with organisations keen to bring Tiriti education and facilitator training to their members.