Events In History
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6 February 1840The Treaty of Waitangi is signed
More than 40 Māori chiefs, led by Ngāpuhi's Hōne Heke Pokai, signed the Treaty of Waitangi in the Bay of Islands. Read more...
Articles
Treaty signatories and signing locations
The Treaty of Waitangi was signed on nine separate sheets by more than 500 Māori. Find out more about the sheets, the signatories and the signing locations
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Page 2 – Ngā tohu – treaty signatories
When complete, Ngā tohu – treaty signatories will include biographical information on every signatory of the Treaty of Waitangi who can be identified.
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Page 3 – Ngā Wāhi – Treaty Signing Occasions
The Treaty of Waitangi was first signed on 6 February 1840.
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Page 4 – Making the Treaty of Waitangi
New Zealand's founding document, the Treaty of Waitangi, was prepared over just a few days in February 1840. Several versions of the treaty were taken around the country for
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Page 5 – Signing the treaty
By the end of 1840 about 540 Māori, including 13 women, had signed the Treaty of Waitangi; all but 39 signed the Māori text. While some had clear expectations about what their
Treaty biographies
Information about some of the key people who have featured in the story of the Treaty of Waitangi
- Page 1 - Treaty biographiesInformation about some of the key people who have featured in the story of the Treaty of
Biographies
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Heke Pōkai, Hōne Wiremu
Ngāpuhi chief Hōne Heke was an influential northern Māori voice in favour of the Treaty of Waitangi. However, he later became a leading opponent of British rule in New Zealand.
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Kawiti, Te Ruki
A notable Ngāpuhi chief and warrior and a skilled military tactician who reluctantly signed the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840.
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Pomare
Pōmare II was a prominent Ngāpuhi chief who signed the Treaty of Waitangi. He was later arrested by the British on suspicion of treason but released on the intervention of Tāmati Wāka Nene.
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Taonui, Aperahama
Aperahama Taonui, of the Te Popoto sub-tribe of Ngāpuhi, was a founding member of the Kotahitanga movement, which evolved into the Māori parliaments of the 1890s.
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Te Hāpuku
Hawke's Bay chief, Te Hāpuku, signed the 1835 Declaration of Independence and the Treaty of Waitangi. He opposed the King Movement fought against the Hauhau and Te Kooti.
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Te Heuheu Tūkino III, Iwikau
A paramount chief of Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Iwikau Te Heuheu was an ardent proponent of Māori nationalism, supporting the movement to set up a Māori king.
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Te Rauparaha
Te Rauparaha was a Ngāti Toa chief and warrior. Sometimes called the 'Napoleon of the Southern Hemisphere', he ruled the lower end of the North Island from his base at Kapiti Island for the best part of 20 years
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Te Whiwhi, Hēnare Mātene
Hēnare Mātene Te Whiwhi promoted the idea of a Māori monarch, which he believed would be vital to protect Māori land.
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Topeora, Rangi Kuini Wikitoria
A signatory to the Treaty of Waitangi, Rangi Topeora was often referred to as the Queen of the South. She was a noted composer and mediator, and rejected European clothing throughout her life.
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Te Kawau, Āpihai
Te Kawau was a Nāgti Whātua leader who signed the Treaty of Waitangi at Manukau Harbour in March 1840. He later worked with European magistrates to settle disputes among Māori.
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Moka Te Kainga-mataa
A Nga Puhi leader, Moka Te Kainga-mataa was an original signatory of the 1835 Declaration of Independence. Moka's name – but not his signature – also appears on the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi
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Main image: Signing of the Treaty of Waitangi
Modern reconstruction of the Treaty signing - painting.