Up to 20,000 expected as Waitangi Day festivities return

A kaihoe (paddler) lays down a challenge to the Parliamentary contingent at Waitangi

As many as 20,000 people are expected to descend on Waitangi today to mark 183 years since the signing of the nation’s founding document.

It will be the first full commemorations since public gatherings were curtailed by the Covid pandemic so organisers had originally expected as many as 30,000 visitors.

However, Waitangi National Trust head of marketing Nineke Metz said the partial closure of State Highway 1 and the after-effects of the Auckland floods were likely to reduce the numbers of people heading north for the final and biggest day of the festivities.

Expectations had now been dialled back to 10,000-20,000 people.

Even with a reduced crowd, the signs point to a successful Waitangi Day.

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and National leader Chris Luxon led the Parliamentary contingent onto the Treaty Grounds

Preceding days have been free of the protests that have marred public events in recent years, although one of Waitangi Day’s most popular events — the Prime Minister’s breakfast — has been cancelled due to security concerns.

Recent days have also shown Waitangi Day retains its ability to spark robust debate.

This time it was about whether politicians should have been allowed to speak during yesterday’s formal welcome.

That was resolved by letting them talk, as long as they avoided political point-scoring and spoke in te reo.

Henare Hura performs a pukana during the Parliamentary powhiri

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and National leader Chris Luxon led a multi-party contingent onto the Treaty Grounds in sweltering heat around 11.30am, with more than 200 kaihoe (paddlers) performing a spine-tingling series of challenges and haka.

Most of the politicians stuck, more or less, to the no-politics rule. Act leader David Seymour provided the biggest surprise by outlining his whakapapa, in te reo Māori, to Ngāpuhi and Bay of Islands hapū Ngāti Rehia.

Following the welcome Hipkins visited the Māori Wardens camp to thank them for their voluntary efforts around the country, then called in at the waka camp near Haruru Falls for another rousing welcome, this time by paddlers preparing for this morning’s waka parade off Tii Beach — likely to be one of today’s top spectacles.

Kaihoe (paddlers) have travelled from around the motu, as well as the Netherlands, Cook Islands, Australia and the US, to take part.

Today’s commemorations will start with a 5am dawn service at the Treaty Grounds followed by a flag-raising ceremony, waka parade around 9am, a church service from 10am, and a 21-gun salute at noon.

An afternoon concert on the Treaty Grounds main stage will feature Hātea Kapa Haka, Kiwi music legends Troy Kingi and Don McGlashan, and more.

Young kaihoe (paddler) Latiyah Williams, 9, gets ready to welcome politicians onto the Treaty Grounds

Te Tii Marae will continue its four-day programme of discussion and oratory in the forum tent, while the nearby Ngāti Rahiri Marae Komiti stage and the Treaty Grounds waka stage will offer a variety of entertainment.

MetService is forecasting a respite from yesterday’s searing, sticky conditions, with cloud increasing from the morning and occasional rain later in the day.