Global March for Peace and Non-Violence

The Global March for Peace and Non-Violence due to commence on 2 October 2009 in Wellington, will officially be launched with a blessing ceremony at Kopinga Marae on Rekohu (Chatham Islands) in late September.

Chairwoman of Hokotehi Moriori Trust, Shirley King, stated that 'All Moriori and Chatham Islanders generally are thrilled and excited that our Islands, where our Karapuna (ancestors) lived in peace for many centuries, have been granted the honour by the International Organising Committee of giving the spiritual blessings for the start of this fantastic global peace initiative.'

'It’s also fitting because Rekohu and Rangiauria (Pitt Island) are also the first inhabited land in the world to greet the first light of each new day'.

The fact that New Zealand is the first country in the world to see the new dawn of each day was also a factor in the decision to launch the march in this country. 

Further information

Read more about The Global March for Peace and Non-Violence >> This is a PDF file and requires Adobe Acrobat Reader

Visit Kopinga Marae Use this link to their website.

• The Moriori are the indigenous people of Rekohu (Chatham Island) and Rangiaotea (Pitt Island), the two largest islands in the Chatham group.

• It is thought Moriori came to the Chatham Islands from New Zealand about 1500.

• They took a vow of peace, but later suffered the effects of colonisation by both Europeans and Maori.

• In 1835, Moriori were massacred and enslaved by Maori invaders from New Zealand.

• Their population plunged from about 2500 in 1791 to just 100 by 1900.

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