Māori protesters marched to Waitangi to oppose the Treaty Principles Bill, allowing changes to the “principles” of the Treaty of Waitangi (Te Tiriti o Waitangi) – New Zealand’s founding document that established British and Māori governance of New Zealand – ahead of Waitangi Day, the national day of New Zealand which celebrates the signing of the Treaty.

The group had gone over 200 kilometres before arriving at Waitangi, where Rueben Tipari, the organizer, addressed the crowd, saying, “[w]e want our people to not just hīkoi together and then go home … back to our individual lives. [We want them to] sustain this resistance. Sustain this solidarity. Sustain this kotahitanga, whānau, and we will find our freedom.”

The Association of Consumers and Taxpayers Party (ACT) proposed a referendum to redefine the “principles” of the Treaty of Waitangi. While the referendum was not included in the coalition agreement, the National and New Zealand First parties have agreed to introduce a Treaty Principles Bill that would be further reviewed by a select committee.

Over the last five decades, the principles of the Treaty have been developed by Parliament, the courts, and the Waitangi Tribunal. These principles include partnership, reciprocity, mutual benefit, active protection of Māori interests and redress for past wrongs. The ACT party argues that these principles provide people with “different political rights based on birth,” meaning that Māori have a stronger voice in political decisions and that this violates political equality. Conversely, protesters claim that the Bill would undo policies that supported the official use of the Māori language and improved Indigenous living standards and rights.

The hikoi, meaning a march, travelled over the Waitangi Bridge, a historic tradition upheld for 40 years. The procession concludes at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, where conflicts have arisen among Māori, politicians, police and even members of royalty in previous instances. During her visit to Waitangi in 1990, Queen Elizabeth II had black fabric thrown at her face. In 1998, former Prime Minister Helen Clark was moved to tears by an activist. In 2004, the opposition leader Don Brash faced an incident where mud was thrown at him, and in 2016, during a government representative’s press conference, a protester tossed a sex toy into the frame.