He Whakaputanga, also known as the Declaration of the Independence of New Zealand () is a document signed in 1835 by a number of Māori chiefs of the northern parts of New Zealand setting out the independence of their country. It preceded the Treaty of Waitangi, which was signed in 1840.
Background
On 28 October 1835, with James Busby, the British Resident in New Zealand, He Whakaputanga 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.
In the process of signing, the chiefs established themselves as representing a confederation under the title of the "United Tribes of New Zealand". Missionaries Henry Williams and George Clarke translated He Whakaputanga and signed as witnesses. Merchants James Clendon and Gilbert Mair also signed as witnesses.
He Whakaputanga arose in response to concerns over the lawlessness of British subjects in New Zealand and in response to a fear that France would declare sovereignty over the islands. A Frenchman, Charles de Thierry, who titled himself 'Charles, Baron de Tierry, Sovereign Chief of New Zealand and King of Nuku Hiva' (in the Marquesas Islands), sought to establish a colony on a plot of land that he claimed to have purchased in the Hokianga.
The flag, amended slightly when officially gazetted, became the first distinctive flag of New Zealand. As late as 1900, it was still being used to depict New Zealand, and it appeared on the South African War Medal that was issued to New Zealand soldiers of the Second Boer War. The original version of the flag, with eight-pointed stars and black fimbriation, is still used by some Māori groups.
He Whakaputanga is displayed at the National Library of New Zealand, as part of the He Tohu exhibition, along with the Treaty of Waitangi and the 1893 Women's Suffrage Petition.
Text
The hereditary chiefs and heads of the tribes of the northern parts of New Zealand declared the constitution of an independent state. They agreed to meet in Waitangi each year to frame laws and invited the southern tribes of New Zealand to "lay aside their private animosities" and join them.
The original English text, as was drafted by James Busby and sent to the New South Wales government and the Colonial Office in Britain is as follows:
thumb|[[Flag of the United Tribes of New Zealand]]
thumb|The original design of the flag, with eight-pointed stars and black fimbriation, is today widely used by Māori groups.
thumb|The flag as drawn by Nicholas Charles Phillips of the man-of-war HMS Alligator in 1834
Explanation of Māori text
The Māori text of He Whakaputanga was made by the tino rangatira (hereditary chiefs) of the northern part of New Zealand. It uses the term Rangatiratanga to mean independence and declares the country a whenua Rangatira (independent state) that is to be known as the United Tribes of New Zealand ().
The translation of the second paragraph is "that all sovereign power and authority in the land" ("Ko te Kingitanga ko te mana i te wenua")
It read, in part: