New Zealand’s Waitangi Day commemorations have been held online for 2022.
Due to Covid restrictions, the Waitangi Treaty Grounds were closed which forced many ceremonies to go online.
A small event was still held at Waitangi. Waka taua were paddled to Te Tii marae to mark the occasion, with around 200 people gathering to watch them come ashore.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro both travelled to Waitangi to prerecord their speeches last month.
Broadcasters including RNZ National, Newshub and Māori TV marked New Zealand’s special day by running special Waitangi Day programmes.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern used her Waitangi Day speech to call for people to come together and overcome the challenges facing the country today and into the future.
She said across Aotearoa there are stories of arrival, settlement, conflict, unity, hope, and hardship and acknowledging the stories is crucial to people’s connection to each other. She went on to say that she was proud that this year schools will have the resources to teach New Zealand history and the country will celebrate the first Matariki public holiday.
