A powerful powhiri welcomed Jacinda Ardern and her entourage onto the upper marae at Waitangi today ahead of the Prime Minister's historic speech.
Stirring challenges and cries from Maori warriors welcomed the Prime Minister and her government partners including Greens leader James Shaw and New Zealand First leader Winston Peters to the Treaty Grounds.
The colourful scene played out without the protests by Maori activists that have been seen in previous years.
Ms Ardern today became the first female prime minister to speak from the porch of the Treaty Grounds' Te Whare Runanga upper marae.
"I do not take lightly the privilege extended to me to speak... today, not only as a Prime Minister but as a wahine," she said.
In spending five days in Waitangi with a large contingent of MPs, Ms Ardern said she had spoken to locals about health, education jobs and roads and found there was "much work to be done".
She called on Maori to hold her government to account on its promises.
"Because one day I want to be able to tell my child that I earned the right to stand here. And only you can tell me when I have done that," she said.
Today also marked a new chapter in Waitangi Day history as political leaders received their official powhiri away from Te Tii Marae for the first time in decades.
Event organisers stripped the lower marae of the right to host the powhiri in 2018 after incidents, including protests and former prime ministers John Key and Bill English skipping events at the marae after they were not given the right to speak.
SHARE ME