Despite the odd tussle and some political mud slinging, it was a largely peaceful Waitangi Day eve.
Instead history was made; for the first time a female party leader was allowed to speak on the marae.
Scuffles are common territory at Waitangi, but Hone Harawira's a man not used to being pushed around without pushing back. But there were cameras here.
It was a small triumph of restraint for Mr Harawira, but vastly more historic, women were given permission to speak on the paepae at Te Tii Marae for the first time.
Annette Sykes, who for a time led the deep-sea oil drilling hikoi, was the first, followed by Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei.
In 1998 Helen Clark's speech didn't go ahead. She broke into tears when Titewhai Harawira challenged her right to do so.
Today Ms Harawira was more charitable across the board. Prime Minister John Key says she was nice to him, and that's despite Mr Key's pot shots at her son picking up pace.
Mr Key labelled Mr Harawira's trip to South Africa following Nelson Mandela's death a holiday. He also picked Mr Harawira out as a chronic truant in the house, and yesterday wrongly accused Mr Harawira's sister of jostling the Governor-General. He says he was just acting off the best information he had, but Mr Harawira says Mr Key is acting like Big Brother.
And with the protesters delaying them, Mr Key was forced to wait an hour and 40 minutes at the Paihia fire station.
So on a day often dominated by protest and skirmishes, today was an historic shift.
Ms Turei says it signals a sea change for women on the marae. It certainly makes for more positive headlines.
3 News
source: newshub archive
