Waitangi Treaty Grounds

OVERVIEW

Explore the site where New Zealand’s founding document was signed in 1840 and watch a cultural performance in a carved meeting house on the property. The Waitangi Treaty was a formal agreement between the colonizing British government and the Māori chiefs that was meant to protect the indigenous people. Although the treaty wasn’t followed to the letter, it is still considered a watershed document. While visiting the grounds where the treaty was signed, you will gain a deeper understanding of the Māori culture. To honor their heritage, the Māori will perform traditional songs and a group war dance known as a haka, which embodies their cultural pride and unity. You will also see one of the world’s largest ceremonial canoes, a double-hulled vessel that the Māori built in 1940 to celebrate the centenary of the signing of the Waitangi Treaty. Although 114-feet long, the canoe is seaworthy and is launched annually during Waitangi Day.

HIGHLIGHTS

• See where the British and the Māoris signed the pivotal Treaty of Waitangi in 1840.
• Watch a Māori cultural performance inside a whare rūnanga communal house.
• Be struck by the enormity of a ceremonial war canoe that is one of the world’s largest.
• Browse a museum that presents the history of the Treaty of Waitangi in captivating ways.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.