Waitangi Day
Waitangi Day is a public holiday observed throughout Aotearoa New Zealand to commemorate the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi | te Tiriti o Waitangi (te Tiriti) between the British Crown and Māori at Waitangi in 1840. Te Tiriti is a founding document of government in Aotearoa and the day has been a public holiday since 1974.
Waitangi Day gives us all the opportunity to reflect on this foundation document, which underpins our country’s unique identity, and what it means for each of us and our motu (country).
Waitangi Day 2025 | Ngā Hapū o Ōtaki Waitangi commemoration event
As a committed te Tiriti partner, we're proud to support Ngā Hapū o Ōtaki under the rangatiratanga of their local iwi Ngāti Raukawa in welcoming the Kāpiti Coast community to their Waitangi ki Taumanuka commemorations held in Ōtaki on Thursday 6 February.
This event is an opportunity for us all to reflect on our shared history, and the foundation document that underpins our country’s unique identity, as well as the tūpuna (ancestors) and whakapapa of Ngā Hapū o Ōtaki.
This year’s theme is Ngā Taonga Tukuiho (ancestral treasures), acknowledges Ngāti Raukawa and hapū, their history and their historical involvement with te Tiriti.
The event will be held at Taumanuka (the old Children’s Health Camp). This will be a space for commemoration as well as to share historical knowledge of Taumanuka and the significance of the land in relation to te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Thursday, 6 February 2025
Taumanuka
29 Health Camp Road,
For more information visit www.ngahapuootaki.nz/panui
Waitangi ki Kāpiti video series 2021
As part of our virtual Waitangi Day commemorations in 2021 we made a 5-part video series exploring the relevance of Te Tiriti and people's thoughts on how we commemorate it in our district. We encourage you to watch and share this kōrero as a way to stimulate discussion on what Te Tiriti means for our Kāpiti Coast communities.
Treaty signatories
The tangata whenua of the district are Te Āti Awa ki Whakarongotai, Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga, Ngāti Toa Rangatira, including whānau and hapū. In the 1820–30s they were firmly established in the Kāpiti Coast District and were signatories to te Tiriti o Waitangi (the Treaty of Waitangi) at the following locations:
- On board the ship The Ariel at Port Nicholson in Wellington (29 April 1840)
- Queen Charlotte Sounds (4 May 1840)
- Rangitoto (d'Urville Island) (11 May 1840)
- Kāpiti Island (14 May 1840)
- Waikanae (16 May 1840)
- Ōtaki (19 May 1840)
- Manawatū (26 May 1840)
- Motungarara Island (4 June 1840)
- Guard's Bay and Cloudy Bay (Te Koko-a-Kupe) in Te Tau Ihu (17 June 1840)
- Mana Island (19 June 1840), and again on Kāpiti Island (19 June 1840).