Waitangi Day at the National Library
Part of E oho! Waitangi series
Join us for Waitangi day we have lots of activities to help you learn and reflect on the ways in which the signing of the Treaty has shaped our nation’s history. See the original Treaty of Waitangi, watch a bilingual puppet show, take a guided He Tohu tour, Watch a compilation of historical footage of Waitangi Day commemorations and lots more. There’s something for all the whānau.
See the Treaty of Waitangi
Come and get up close and personal with the Treaty of Waitangi at the National Library this Waitangi Day!
Guided tours of He Tohu
When — Tours begin on the hour and half hour between 9.30 am and 4.30 pm
Join us between 9.30 am and 4.30 pm for a 30-minute guided tour exploring He Tohu, the multi-award-winning exhibition which features all nine original signed sheets of the Treaty of Waitangi.
Guided bilingual tours of He Tohu
When — 10am and 2pm
Join a bilingual tour with Wātene Kaihau (30min).
Film screening — compilation of historical footage of Waitangi Day commemorations
When — The films are shown in a loop between 9.30am and 4.30pm and go for 30min
Watch a compilation of historical footage of Waitangi Day commemorations courtesy of Ngā Taonga sound and Vision. Around 10,000 people gathered at Te Tii Marae in 1934 for the first official commemoration of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It was a day of celebration, full of formal speeches and performances.
The event was captured on film and shared as a newsreel, allowing New Zealanders across Aotearoa to connect to the celebrations at their local cinema. Since then, the annual commemorations of Waitangi Day have been captured on film and video, letting us observe changes to the event and in the way the public responds over many years.
Through highlights drawn from Ngā Taonga’s audiovisual collections, we can reflect on how the signing of Te Tiriti has been marked over the years. The loop features clips from events in 1934, 1940, 1977, 1990, 1999 and 2003.
Nan and Tuna — bilingual puppet show
When — 10:30am
Nan and Tuna, a bilingual puppet show about eels, rivers and friendship called by String Bean Puppets (40min).
Nan and Tuna have been friends for 70 years and now it is time for one last adventure together. But before they leave they need to find someone to care for the river.
More about Nan and Tuna from the Wellington City Library
Watch a preview of Nan and Tuna (YouTube, 2:27mins)
Pronunciation workshop
When — 11:15am, 12:15pm and 1:15pm
Te reo pronunciation workshop with Wātene Kaihau at (30min).
We will also have other activities available to help you learn and reflect on the ways in which the signing of the Treaty has impacted on our nation’s history:
Make your own treaty
When — All day
Make your own treaty sheet out of parchment and coloured paper. What agreement would you make with your whānau and visitors?
Put your house rules on the sheet and have a go at signing with different marks.
Get your inspiration from seeing the original documents He Whakaputanga | Declaration of Independence and Te Tiriti o Waitangi | Treaty of Waitangi.
Arts and crafts
When — All day
Get involved in arts and crafts activities for the whole whānau.
‘People of Te Tiriti o Waitangi’ — giant banners
When — All day
Enjoy an installation of giant banners featuring four Treaty signatories. The banners depict four individuals whose actions shaped our founding document, Te Tiriti o Waitangi, the events which followed and the history of Aotearoa New Zealand as we know it today. The four people being highlighted are:
Te Rangitopeora
Ereōnora and Panakareao
Te Ware Pouri / Te Wharepōuri
Sir William Martin
Check before you come
Due to COVID-19 some of our events can be cancelled or postponed at very short notice. Please check the website for updated information about individual events before you come.
For more general information about National Library services and exhibitions have look at our COVID-19 page.
Banners from ‘People of Te Tiriti o Waitanigi’ Image Llewellyn Jones.