Te Tiriti o Waitangi

Waikato and the Treaty

Pre 1840s...

A pattern of contact and trading was established between Maaori and early whalers and sealers. By the 1830’s Maaori needed to have an internationally recognised flag for their trading vessels. This lay behind the Declaration of Independence signed in 1835. During the 1830's there were around 125,000 Maaori across the country. During this period there were just over 2000 settlers, most of whom lived in Kororareka (Russell) and the Bay of Islands.

Increased lawlessness in this "cesspit of the Empire" and concerns about the growing French interest in New Zealand led to the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi on the 6^th February 1840.

Not all Waikato chiefs were present at the signing of the Treaty. Although copies of the Treaty travelled the country several chiefs refused to sign. Prominent among these was Potatau Te Wherowhero of Waikato.

It has been said that Te Wherowhero refused to sign because he had not been consulted before the other chiefs signed. Another account has it that he did not want his mana superseded by that of a woman. Yet another account suggested that Te Wherowhero did not see the need to sign another treaty as he had already signed the Declaration of Independence.

The Treaty of Waitangi still has significance to Waikato. In the Deed of Settlement of 1995 between the Crown and Waikato/ Tainui, the Crown acknowledged that the confiscations of land following the Waikato wars broke the Treaty of Waitangi.