Waitangi, New Zealand, is the birthplace of the nation. It is on the Bay of Islands within four hours’ drive north of Auckland. It is a national reserve adjoining the town of Paihia and evokes the very essence and history of New Zealand’s beginnings.
The Treaty House, built for British Resident James Busby who was sent to New Zealand from Australia, still stands as a memorial and monument to the historic event of 1840.
This is where the Treaty of Waitangi was signed between the British government and Maori tribal leaders.
Meeting place and war canoe
Close to the Treaty House is the Maori Whare Runanga (Meeting Place) which was completed in 1940 and is a finely detailed construction with carvings representing the major Maori tribes.
Down by the water is the largest war canoe in the world, the Ngatokimatawhaorua, which is named after the great canoe of Kupe, traditional Polynesian ancestor of the Maori people.
The Waitangi reserve is a must destination for those visiting the Bay of Islands.
Next page: Treaty of Waitangi: English Version
