People gathered at dawn this morning at Te Whare Rūnanga on the Waitangi Day Treaty Grounds to mark Waitangi Day 2026, to mark the signing of the Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
A dawn ceremony and kawe mate on Tuesday marked the official opening of the week's celebrations, with Te Arikinui Kuini Nga wai hono i te po, the Māori Queen, welcobegan early Friday morning, with attendees on Wednesday
The traditional dawn service got underway early Friday morning, with attendees bearing the cool air for karakia and waiata that opened the day's commemorations.
Ngāpuhi elder Hone Sadler led a delegation, led by Governor General Dame Cindy Kiro, on Te Whare Rūnanga to begin the dawn service on Waitangi.
Speakers at the dawn service included Chief Justice Dame Helen Winkelmann, Labour leader Chris Hipkins and Greens co-leaders Marama Davidson and Chlöe Swarbrick.
Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour, the highest-ranking Government official at this morning's service, was interrupted by a large volume of hecklers during his offering.
Speaking to John Campbell after being heckled at the dawn service at Te Whare Rūnanga, David Seymour said there was a "minority" of people who "each year ruin Waitangi by being very loud".
A smaller dawn service took place in front of the whare that houses the ceremonial waka Ngatokimatawhaorua at the Lower Treaty Grounds.
The waka ceremony in Waitangi was underway following the dawn service, with more than 20 waka fleets crossing the bay.
As waka arrived at the bay, Kaihoe disembarked the fleets on the beach to perform a mass haka.
PM Christopher Luxon was not in attendance at Te Whare Rūnanga this morning and was set to make an appearance at Ōmaru - Point England in Auckland today.
In a video posted to Facebook, the Prime Minister shared a message of unity, encouraging kiwis to "pause and reflect" on what it means to live in New Zealand, which he called "the greatest country on planet earth".
"Waitangi Day is not just about celebration. It's about honesty, and a commitment to the future," Luxon said.
Across the country, communities marked the beginning of the day in their own ways, including Tauranga's long-standing dawn service and karakia at Mauao attended by many local residents. This year was a sombre event, as the community came to grips with last month's devastating landslide that killed six people.
New Zealand's centres will continue to hold family-friendly Waitangi Day events and festivals throughout the day to mark the occasion.
The capital city's Te Rā o Waitangi will enjoy live music and cultural performances on the Wellington Waterfront, with Hamilton's Kirikiriroa festival offering a day of performances and activities for attendees.
Auckland, Dunedin, and Christchurch also hosted several Waitangi Day commemorations throughout the day.
Information on today's events could be found on council websites.
Follows 1News' live updates on Waitangi 2026 here
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