Honouring Te Tiriti

Treaty of Waitangi

The Treaty of Waitangi (Te Tiriti o Waitangi) is an important agreement that was signed by representatives of the British Crown and Māori in 1840. The purpose of the Treaty was to enable the British settlers and the Māori people to live together in New Zealand under a common set of laws or agreements.

The Treaty promised to protect Māori culture and to enable Māori to continue to live in New Zealand as Māori. At the same time, the Treaty gave the Crown the right to govern New Zealand and to represent the interests of all New Zealanders.

The Treaty governs the relationship between Māori - the tangata whenua (indigenous people) - and everyone else and ensures the rights of both Māori and Pakeha (non-Māori) are protected.

The relevant Treaty principles were determined to be those of reciprocity, active protection, partnership, equity, and equal treatment.

Te Tiriti o Waitangi has been translated into 30 different languages. Find your language translation here. Ngā mihi