Waitangi Day (Māori: Te Rā o Waitangi), the national day of New Zealand, marks the anniversary of the initial signing—on 6 February 1840—of the Treaty of Waitangi.

Every year on 6 February – Waitangi Day – people of all communities and backgrounds gather at Waitangi to commemorate the first signing of New Zealand’s founding document: Te Tiriti o Waitangi, The Treaty of Waitangi, on 6 February 1840.

Aug 5, 2014 · Every year on 6 February, New Zealand marks the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840. For most people, Waitangi Day is a holiday; for many, and especially for Māori, it is a time for reflecting on the Treaty and its place in modern New Zealand.

4 days ago · WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — It’s often a day marked by spirited politics and at times boisterous protest. But Thursday’s anniversary of New Zealand’s founding document, the Treaty of Waitangi, passed in muted fashion with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon absent from the main commemorations, amid rancor over an unpopular proposed law redefining the …

5 days ago · Waitangi day marks the first signing of New Zealand's founding document: The Treaty of Waitangi or Te Tiriti o Waitangi in Māori. The introduction of a bill which sought to reinterpret the 185 ...

Feb 4, 2021 · Recognition as a national day. By the late 1950s, February 6 was thought of as New Zealand’s unofficial national day. It officially received the name ‘Waitangi Day’ in 1960, through the Waitangi Day Act. The Act, however, did not make it a public holiday.

6 days ago · The 1960 Waitangi Day Act identified February 6 as a National Day of Thanksgiving in commemoration of the signing of the Treaty. It wasn’t until 1973 that legislation was passed to make it a public holiday. The architect of the law change, Prime Minister Norman Kirk, recognised that New Zealand was now home to people from across the globe ...

5 days ago · Rotorua's official Waitangi Day event, "Mō te aroha o te iwi - For the Love of the People," is hosted by Te Paratehoata Marae (Tūnohopū) at Wai Ariki Spa, starting at 10am. The event, which aims to build unity and honour the Treaty, includes musical performances, sports and games, waka rides and lessons, art showcases, and walking tours of ...

Waitangi Day, a day to commemorate the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, Te Tiriti o Waitangi, is an acknowledgement of New Zealand’s past which provides a platform for all New Zealanders to consider what the Treaty means today.

Waitangi Day was recognised as a national day by 1960, and became a regional Northland holiday by 1963. In 1974 it was made a nationwide public holiday and renamed New Zealand Day – in 1976 it reverted back to Waitangi Day. Explore a timeline of Waitangi Day commemorations over the decades.