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The Treaty of Waitangi

See the original Treaty of Waitangi

Visit the original Treaty of Waitangi at the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, explore the stories of Te Tiriti, and get to know the people who signed the document.

He Tohu

He Tohu is a permanent exhibition at the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa in a room called He whakapapa kōrero and is inspired by a waka huia – a treasure box. The treasure box holds the three iconic constitutional documents that shape Aotearoa New Zealand. The documents are:

  • He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tireni – Declaration of Independence of the United Tribes of New Zealand (1835)
  • Te Tiriti o Waitangi – Treaty of Waitangi (1840)
  • Women’s Suffrage Petition – Te Petihana Whakamana Pōti Wahine (1893).

There are interactive features to get up close to the documents, and for people to trace the life-stories of the signatories and discovering their own family connections.

Visit the Treaty of Waitangi He Tohu exhibition at the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, Cnr Molesworth and Aitken Streets, Thorndon, Wellington.

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    Treaty of Waitangi learning resources

    Treaty of Waitangi learning resources

    Watch interviews, download activity books and learn more about the Treaty of Waitangi and what it means to all New Zealanders.

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    The content of the Treaty of Waitangi

    The content of the Treaty of Waitangi

    The Treaty is an agreement between the British Crown, represented by William Hobson, and iwi and hapū in New Zealand represented by rangatira. But who agreed to what?

  • Close up of the Te Tiriti ki Waikato-Manukau | Waikato-Manukau sheet, showing the beginning of the English text
    The full text of Te Tiriti o Waitangi | The Treaty of Waitangi

    The full text of Te Tiriti o Waitangi | The Treaty of Waitangi

    Read the original English and te reo Māori texts of Te Tiriti o Waitangi | The Treaty of Waitangi, and a contemporary translation of the te reo Māori.