Organisers of New Zealand’s national day commemorating the signing of the country’s founding treaty between Māori tribes and the British crown are expecting record attendance in 2025, following a year of rising tensions over the government’s policy direction for Māori.
In February, tens of thousands of people are expected to descend on Waitangi, in New Zealand’s Northland region, to commemorate the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, which was signed by Māori chiefs and the British Crown in 1840 and is instrumental in upholding Māori rights.
The 2025 event is expected to exceed last year’s record attendance, when 80,000 people travelled from across the country to Waitangi.
While some will be there in a show of force against the coalition government, which many fear is rolling back Māori rights and undermining the promises made in the treaty, attendance will not be entirely driven by anger, says Pita Tipene, the chair of the Waitangi National Trust, which manages the grounds and events.
“It is becoming much more a festival atmosphere … and people know they can come there, bring their children and grandchildren and have a good time.”
Still, Tipene hopes people will reflect on what the day means. The Waitangi event is as much a festival as it is a forum for political discussion about sovereignty, equality and history. It has often been the scene of demonstrations, with Māori protesting against the lack of progress made in tackling inequality and ongoing breaches of the treaty.
“While we want people to be enjoying themselves … let’s just remember what it’s all about and celebrate nationhood in whatever way we like.”
The signing of the treaty has been commemorated as a public holiday on 6 February since 1974, with events around the country, and a formal multi-day celebration held at the Waitangi grounds where the treaty was signed.
The prime minister, Christopher Luxon, and his coalition partners faced protest and boos during the 2024 event, which set the tone between Māori and the government for the rest of the year, and which culminated in the largest protest over Māori rights in New Zealand’s history.
In December, Luxon announced he would not be attending the 2025 event in Waitangi, instead opting to attend smaller events in different parts of the country – a decision that sparked accusations of cowardice from opposition parties.
“I have been in Waitangi the last two years, including in my first year as prime minister, so next year I have decided to head to another part of the country,” he said in a statement at the time.
“Waitangi Day is of national importance, and I am keen to join New Zealanders celebrating it in other regions.”
Other prime ministers have skipped the formal celebrations in the past, including Helen Clark, John Key and Bill English. Luxon said senior government representatives would attend events around the country, including at the grounds.
But Luxon’s decision was disappointing and, as leader of the government, he should be there, Tipene said.
“Particularly given the current political situation where the treaty principles bill is going through and there is a lot of angst in our society in general.”
The coalition government’s broader policy direction for Māori – including sweeping rollbacks to policies designed to improve Māori health and wellbeing – has prompted strident criticism. Few policies have angered Māori as much as the treaty principles bill, which proposes to radically alter the way the treaty is interpreted. The bill does not have widespread support and is unlikely to become law. However, its introduction has prompted anger from many who believe it is creating division and undermining the treaty.
Luxon’s absence would be a missed opportunity to keep the conversation going between Māori leaders and the government, Tipene said.
“We would rather that we were focusing on what nationhood is and painting a clearer vision of where we’re going as a country, particularly given that we’re fast approaching the bicentennial of the signing of [the treaty].”
