WAITANGI !

Outside the marae

The Treaty of Waitangi was first signed on February 6, 1840, by Maori chiefs and British ambassadors.



Opening ceremony at the Waitangi Treaty House

So, we went to find out where this historic event had taken place and visited the Treaty Grounds and House.



Tiki in the marae

It's interesting that there are 8 different versions of the treaty, signed by different chiefs, which were taken round the country by people paid for each signature.



The Treaty is a topic of heated debate, even these days, and is often used in tribunals in cases of land loss and ownership.
William Hobson wrote the treaty with the help of his secretary, James Freeman, and friend James Busby, (neither of whom was a lawyer.)



The entire treaty was prepared in four days.
The men realised that a treaty in English would not be understood,or agreed to by Maori, so Hobson instructed missionary Henry Williams and his son Edward to translate the document into Maori.
This was done overnight on February 4.



The roof inside the marae

On February 5, copies of the treaty in both languages were put before a gathering of northern chiefs inside a large marquee on this lawn in front of the house at Waitangi.



the waka

Maori speakers debated the treaty for five hours.
The following morning 45 of them were ready to sign.



Entrance to the marae

A further 500 signatures were added to the treaty, later.
The anniversary of the signing of the Treaty is now a New Zealand public holiday, Waitangi Day, on 6 February.



Figurehead above the marae entrance