Crowd enjoying the Kai Marketplace at Waitangi Day at Te Puia 2024. Photo / Stephen Parker
February 6 marks the 185th anniversary of the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi (Treaty of Waitangi). To commemorate Aotearoa New Zealand’s national day, events will be held at Te Puia and Wai Ariki Hot Springs & Spa in Rotorua.
In its third year, Waitangi Day at Te Puia returns with a full-on day for whānau to experience cultural festivities and entertainment.
The event starts at 9.30am and has a range of pā activities such as tītī tōrea (stick games) and lessons in poi and haka. There will also be cultural performances, a bouncy castle and face painting for tamariki and Te Tiriti o Waitangi wānanga to learn about the history of the day.
The New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute (NZMACI) will have demonstrations of weaving, wood carving and stone and bone carving.
Denise Emery, NZMACI general manager of visitor experience, said the event connected with the organisation’s philosophy of Toitu te ahurea Māori - Leaders in uplifting Māori culture - with a desire to bring people together with kotahitanga.
“It is important to Te Puia to have an educational focus during the day with Te Tiriti o Waitangi seminars as well as to take visitors on a learning journey as education is critical to positive pathways forward for Aotearoa New Zealand.”
Emery said the event was also about time spent with whānau.
“Come and have some fun riding on the trains for a Pōhutu Geyser loop ride, enjoy the bouncy castles, face painting, a taonga market, cultural performances, kai market place and also get up and close with NZMACI artists.”
Last year, Waitangi Day at Te Puia sold out weeks in advance and had 1250 people attend the event.
This year the event is free however, spaces must be booked with tickets from the Humanitix website.
Waitangi Mō te Aroha o te Iwi has been taking place in the city for six years.
Organised by Te Paratehoata Marae (Tūnohopū), the Waitangi Day event was previously held at Ohinemutu but has moved to Wai Ariki Hot Springs and Spa.
The day is organised by a small team of volunteers and every year visitor numbers and participants involved have increased - at last year’s event attendee numbers surpassed 5000.
Debbie Robertson, Wai Ariki Spa general manager, said the day was “very multicultural.”
“It is acknowledging the Treaty, New Zealand’s national day, but the day is about bringing all cultures together to celebrate our beautiful home, people and culture - what makes Rotorua so special.”
During the day there will be guided tours, train rides, visual arts, entertainment and interactive activities including waka rides as well craft-making for all ages to enjoy.
The event will start at 10am and will run till 3pm with night markets, a new addition, from 4pm to 8pm.
Waitangi Mō te Aroha o te Iwi will be opened by Mayor Tania Tapsell, Ngāti Whakaue and other local dignitaries.
Tapsell said, as mayor, it was a pleasure to support working in partnership with Māori and iwi locally, as well as celebrate how important the Treaty of Waitangi was for our country.
“We’re grateful to Tūnohopū Marae Trust and everyone else involved in organising this community event.”
She said it brought together not only locals but also visitors to the city, to celebrate the meaning behind the Treaty which was all about people and protecting the places we loved.
“I hope our local Waitangi Day event will provide our Rotorua community with the opportunity to remember what’s important - moving forward into the future together.”
Kaitlyn Morrell is a multimedia journalist for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has lived in the region for several years and studied journalism at Massey University.