A reconstruction of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. Painting by Leonard Mitchell, 1901-1971

Tiriti o Waitangi ~ Treaty of Waitangi

The Treaty of Waitangi and the history of New Zealand politics form the basis of a unique, evolving and dynamic culture.

At the centre of New Zealand's political and cultural partnership between Maori and the British Empire is a treaty document signed in 1840 by these two sovereign nations. Today, as a result of this historic event, legal interpretations and new legislative processes reverberate in courts and on marae throughout the country.

Visitors to New Zealand may be pleasantly surprised that this young and developing nation leads the way in indigenous political rights. The signing of the Treaty of Waitangi is celebrated each year as our National Day. Visitors can follow the course of New Zealand's political heritage at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, National Marae and Visitor Centre, at Waitangi in the Bay of Islands, on the east coast of the Northland peninsula.