Following Strangely Arousing’s performance in New Plymouth on Waitangi day. Frontman Lukas Wharekura reflects on the meaning behind the day.

“New Zealanders have much to be proud of on Waitangi Day. Waitangi Day is about cooperation. It's about the mutual acknowledgement of a common humanity in all of us and our responsibility to create better futures for not only our children but our neighbour’s children.

It's about the acceptance of those who gave up their homes to come here in search of opportunity for their families and helped rebuild this country into what it is today.

I am a proud New Zealander but I am also a Maori. And New Zealanders have much to acknowledge on Waitangi Day As a Maori to me Waitangi Day is an opportunity to acknowledge not only the ways our country has flourished but where it has historically failed. To acknowledge the disenfranchisement of an indigenous culture. To acknowledge the systemic assault on our language and customs.

To acknowledge the fact that we live in a country with a fifteen billion dollar tourist industry and we are still debating whether or not supporting our native language makes economic sense.

For those who live in this country it is our charge to preserve the gifts entrusted to us by this nations forebearers. By tane, tangaroa and papatuanuku Whatungarongaro te tangata toitū te whenua.”