Tauranga treaty copy

Use the tool bar at the bottom of this interactive to zoom in and navigate. The drop down menu at the top lists the names of those who signed – selecting a name takes you to their signature on the document.

The Tauranga copy of the treaty

Tauranga missionary Alfred Brown gathered 21 signatures on a Māori-language copy of the Treaty of Waitangi in April and May 1840. The copy has no seals, and it is thought that William Hobson’s signature is a forgery.

There was much fighting between tribes in Tauranga in early 1840, and Brown hesitated to discuss the treaty with local chiefs. Several missionaries gathered for a meeting on 10 April, and on that day or in the weeks following, 21 Tauranga chiefs signed this document. Major Thomas Bunbury arrived at Tauranga on 11 May to check on progress in gathering signatures. The going had been slow; Brown had an eye disease, and the presence of Roman Catholic Bishop Pompallier may not have been helpful.

Bunbury had missionary James Stack produce two more copies of the treaty. One was sent inland to Rotorua and Taupō, where Te Arawa and Ngāti Tūwharetoa refused to sign. This copy has since been lost. The second copy was given to James Fedarb to acquire signatures in Bay of Plenty.

Most of the treaty signings were witnessed by Europeans. The Tauranga signing was witnessed by Hoani Āneta, Brown’s mission assistant, who also signed the treaty. Alongside each name are the words ‘tana tohu’ (his mark or sign).

Follow links in this table to find out more about those who signed and the signing occasion.