06/11/2025
Waipureku Waitangi Trust is thrilled to announce our Keynote Speaker on Waitangi Day 2026 will be Dr Kathie Irwin, MNZM, Ngāti Rākaipaaka.
Dr Irwin is a third generation Māori educationist – public service and social justice are deeply embedded in her bloodlines. Kathie’s passion inspires her to contribute to Aotearoatanga, nation building, in innovative and creative ways, that are framed by Sir Apirana Ngata’s whakatauāki (proverb) “E tipu, e rea”. This proverb speaks to the possibilities of Treaty based models of change that create authentic transformation.
As a Māori, feminist, academic Kathie specialised in Māori education, research and development, for nearly thirty years. Her “second career” has been in senior management and governance, across the NGO, Iwi and public sectors. In June 2020 she founded Kathie Irwin and Associates – specialists in education, research and training – and serves as the Founder and CEO.
She grew up and went to school in Hastings. Mahora Primary School, Heretaunga Intermediate and Hastings Girls High School. Her parents were both teachers: her father, Keith Cameron, was Principal of Raureka School then Mahora School and her mother, Kath Cameron was a Senior Teacher at both schools.
Dr Irwin has worked as an academic at Massey and Victoria Universities, Christchurch College of Education, the Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust, and Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi. She currently has a role with the Coalition to End Women's Homelessness
The Waipureku Waitangi Trust hosts an annual riverside Waitangi Day commemoration in Te Matau-a-Maui Hawke’s Bay.
The commemoration begins at 7.45am at Ātea a Rangi (Waitangi Regional Park, Awatoto) with karakia to start the 8.15am Hīkoi o te Kotahitanga (Walk of Unity) along Te Awa o Mokotūāraro to Farndon Park, not far from the site of the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi by three Ngāti Kahungunu chiefs at Waipureku in 1840.
Walkers are welcomed with a haka pōwhiri at 9am by mana whenua.
The free event is supported by the Ministry of Culture and Heritage, and the Napier, Hastings and Hawke’s Bay Regional councils.
