Professor Sir Mason Durie and Professor Paul Spoonley will feature in Te Papa (Museum of New Zealand) debates on the Treaty of Waitangi and race relations tomorrow and next Thursday.

Professor Spoonley, the Research Director and Auckland Regional Director of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, will share the stage with Dr Ranginui Walker for the first debate in this year's series, titled Waitangi and the State - Evolution and not Revolution.

Professor Spoonley will consider the reaction over the past 30 to 40 years to growing Maori activism through the perspective of academic and author Dr Walker, whose biography, Mata Toa, was written by Professor Spoonley and published last year. Dr Walker, formerly of Auckland University, will respond to his presentation.

Sir Mason, Massey's Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Professor of Maori Research and Development, will join political commentator Colin James on February 4 to debate the Treaty of Waitangi - how future relationships may evolve and possible options for how race relations could progress.

The debates will be chaired by leading Treaty of Waitangi scholar Dr Claudia Orange, the Collections and Research Group Director at Te Papa. They will be recorded and broadcast by Radio New Zealand. Video