While at Russell in the Northland we visited Waitangi Treaty Grounds where, in 1840, many important Maori chiefs from the North Island and representatives of the British government of the time signed a treaty. There were TWO versions of the treaty: one in Maori, the other in English. Needless to say, interpretations of the treaty differed virtually from the start.
The Meeting Grounds is comprised of a beautifully manicured site with open grassy spaces and wooded walkways and contains the original house (home of the British representative and his family) where the treaty was signed, a magnificent Maori war canoe constructed for the centenary of the agreement, a beautiful Meeting House, two museums (the one that was open commemorates Maori soldiers killed fighting for the British in conflicts from the Boer War on). This commemorative museum was opened only last year and is very well designed and presented. Needless to say we “exited through the gift shop”. It was, however, a good gift shop.
Treaty House 
Centenary Canoe 
Carved canoe prow 
Next generation warriors 
Meeting House 
Maori performance 
Maori performance 
Maori performance 
Commemorative wall 
Commemorative wall 
Commemorative Museum entrance 
Scary!!!!
The Maori performance was replete with facial expressions – wide open eyes, tongues out, hissing noises, and feigned stomping aggression. Obviously meant to intimidate the enemy. Maori occupation of New Zealand (Aotearoa) is only 1000 or so years. Before that there was only another 1000 years or so of sporadic encampments on the Eastern shores of the North Island. Hard to imagine the island unoccupied for millennia!