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Join us to explore how the Treaty of Waitangi / Te Tiriti o Waitangi is relevant to you
In this series, respected Pākehā and community voices will speak about the Treaty / Te Tiriti from their own experience and research.
Wednesdays: July 23, July 30, Aug 6 & Aug 13
2 sessions on each date - 12-2pm and 7-9pm - all at 116 Bank St, Whangārei
Doors open 30 minutes before session start times - Free coffee, tea, soup & snacks will be served.
The talks are for everyone, but particularly those keen to explore how the Treaty / Te Tiriti is key to New Zealand's harmonious future.
Speakers will be followed by a facilitated Q&A session, so please bring your curiosity, openness and questions.
As numbers are limited, we recommend booking in advance - use the links below to secure your place.
All talks are FREE - Koha appreciated
Use the links below to go to a particular date, speaker or topic
Wednesday 23 July - Unsettled Bliss: It's OK to be Uncomfortable - with Dr Elizabeth Cook
Wednesday 23 July - Unsettled Bliss: It's OK to be Uncomfortable - with Dr Elizabeth Cook
Wednesday 23 July
Unsettled Bliss: It's OK to be Uncomfortable
with Dr Elizabeth Cook
“We perform our banal everyday activities of whiteness as normal and natural, so normal, that they are considered the universal, common sense, rational way to be for EVERYBODY!”
In this talk, based on her book, Unsettled Bliss: Whiteness in Aotearoa, Dr Elizabeth Cook explores how (often unconscious) racism operates in our everyday actions within whānau, workplaces, institutions and organisations. She speaks to the 1835 Declaration of Independence onwards, addressing white settler occupation to the present day, its impact on indigenous land and the people of this place, ngā iwi Māori, and the continuing consequences.
“The aim is to be woke, not asleep or dead,” says Dr Cook. “Knowledge is liberation, along with action to change the cruelties.”
If you are interested in deepening your understanding of social issues, wealth disparity, and political structures, this talk is for you.
About the Speaker:
Dr Elizabeth Ann Cook is a writer, thinker, and social critic with a passion for challenging complacency. A sixth-generation non-Māori with English, Irish Catholic, and Welsh ancestry, she was born and grew up in Whangārei before settling mostly in Ōtautahi.
Her diverse career includes the release of four albums of original music; performing live as a singer, songwriter and actor; and teaching Te Reo Māori and drama. In 2021, she completed a PhD in Sociology, subsequently extending her lifelong engagement with critical thinking into non-fiction writing, releasing Unsettled Bliss in 2025. Her work examines how everyday behaviours reinforce harmful social and economic systems, and she is particularly interested in deconstructing language, power, and privilege.
An avid student of Aotearoa’s history, Cook has been influenced by scholars such as Moana Jackson, Ani Mikaere, Vincent O’Malley, Ranginui Walker, and Alan Ward, as well as international thinkers including Achille Mbembe, Frantz Fanon, Cedric Robinson, and Judith Shklar.
Wednesday 30 July - Why Māori Wards? 3 Locals Share their Experience - with Sheryl Mai, Mike Kake & Carol Peters
Wednesday 30 July - Why Māori Wards? 3 Locals Share their Experience - with Sheryl Mai, Mike Kake & Carol Peters
Wednesday 30 July
Why Māori Wards? 3 Locals Share their Experience
with Sheryl Mai, Mike Kake & Dr Carol Peters
Sheryl Mai, Mike Kake and Dr Carol Peters talk about why they advocated for Māori wards, and why they think it's important that we keep them. The first part of the session will be a panel discussion facilitated by Network Waitangi Whangārei educator Moea Armstrong, after which the audience will be invited to ask their own questions of the panelists.
About the Panelists:
Sheryl Mai was Mayor of Whangārei District Council for nine years from 2013-2022. Her time as Mayor included guiding the Council through the introduction of a Māori Ward; and the transformation of Te Kārearea from an advisory committee to the status of a standing strategic partnership committee of Council.
Mike Kake has worked for the Electoral Commission as a Community Engagement Advisor over several General Elections. His background is in media and he continues to represent Ngati Hau and Te Parawhau hapū and Ngapuhi iwi at Local Government level.
Dr Carol Peters is a current member of (and standing for re-election to) Whangārei District Council, where she serves as Deputy Chair of Community Development and champions affordable housing initiatives for older people. She founded Open Arms for the homeless, chairs Climate Change Taitokerau, and serves as a Director on Creative Northland. Dr Peters is committed to endorsing Tangata Whenua aspirations.
Wednesday 6 August - From Silence to Solidarity: Finding our voice as Tangata Tiriti - with Patrick Monaghan aka 'Paddy the Pākehā'
Wednesday 6 August - From Silence to Solidarity: Finding our voice as Tangata Tiriti - with Patrick Monaghan aka 'Paddy the Pākehā'
Wednesday 6 August
From Silence to Solidarity: Finding our voice as Tangata Tiriti
with Patrick Monaghan aka 'Paddy the Pākehā'
Take your average middle-class, ‘white’ young person in Aotearoa – how do we get them to care about and advocate for Indigenous rights, Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Tino rangatiratanga?
“Now, that’s a challenge I’d love to take on,” says Patrick Monaghan (aka Paddy the Pākehā) “After all, that is me!”
By reverse-engineering his own journey of discovery, Paddy will attempt to identify the key factors that moved him from indifference to passion – to sketch a rough roadmap of how he got to where he is, and, by extension, how we might significantly increase the number of non-Māori engaging in this space.
This talk won’t be deeply grounded in research or academia – just real-world experiences and rambling thoughts of a ‘Pākehā fella from Whanganui’: what cuts through, what doesn’t, and the many voices and approaches we need to consider.
About the Speaker:
Patrick Monaghan - aka 'Paddy the Pākehā' is a photographer, videographer and Dad of 2 young boys. In response to seeing racism and misinformation in his community and online, he took to TikTok to explore and dispel a few myths on issues such as Māori Wards, 'special privileges' for Māori, the meaning of words like 'Pākehā' and more - quickly amassing nearly 20,000 followers.
In November 2024, he was invited by the Toitū Te Tiriti organisers to speak on behalf of Tangata Tiriti when the Hikoi arrived in Wellington; and continues to educate and inspire 'Tangata Tiriti' with his bite-sized morsels of wisdom, delivered with a calm and inclusive approach.
Wednesday 13 August - Did I Really Just Hear That? Practical insights for Tricky Conversations about Te Tiriti - with Kate Frykberg
Wednesday 13 August - Did I Really Just Hear That? Practical insights for Tricky Conversations about Te Tiriti - with Kate Frykberg
Wednesday 13 August
Did I Really Just Hear That? Practical insights for Tricky Conversations about Te Tiriti
with Kate Frykberg
"We have all been there," says Kate Frykberg. "Someone makes a comment about Te Tiriti or Te Ao Māori which is ignorant or offensive, we are too stunned to respond in the moment, the conversation moves on, and the opportunity to stand up for Te Tiriti seems to have been lost."
But now more than ever, it is important to reach out beyond the bubbles we live in, to engage honestly and respectfully, and to actively build support for Te Tiriti. This practical talk aims to boost both our confidence and our toolkits for navigating these important conversations well.
About the Speaker:
Kate Frykberg MNZM is passionate about figuring out what it means to be a good Pākehā / Tangata Tiriti, and how best to contribute to an equitable, Tiriti-based Aotearoa.
Kate’s first career was in IT, which included co-founding one of Aotearoa’s first web development companies, and receiving the ASB Businesswoman of the Year award and the NZ Order of Merit along the way. Her second career was in philanthropy, including roles as CE of the Todd Foundation, Chair of Philanthropy NZ, independent committee member of the Ngāi Tahu Fund, and co-founder of Te Muka Rau, a small, co-governed philanthropic trust supporting Te Ao Māori and anti-racism initiatives.
Kate currently works as a Pākehā co-facilitator for Tūmanako Consultants, volunteers with the Tiriti Action Group Pōneke, and is a blogger, board member and keen learner of te Reo Māori. She lives in Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington), where she and her husband have three sons, a dog, a cat and five chickens.
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