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.