What is the Treaty?

The Treaty of Waitangi is an agreement between Māori hapū (subtribes of Māori people) and the New Zealand Government.

The Treaty of Waitangi:

• was signed on the 6th of February 1840 at Waitangi
• was signed by Māori chiefs and representatives of the British Crown
• is a starting place of discussion for Māori and Government
• safeguards the development of Māori culture, resources and way of life
• maintains Māori as the ancestral people of Aotearoa (the Māori name for New Zealand)