Waitangi Day: The Complicated Story

Waitangi Day: The Complicated Story

June 21, 2026 · 8 min

About this episode

This episode discusses the complexities surrounding Waitangi Day and the Treaty of Waitangi in New Zealand's history.

On February 6, New Zealanders will mark Waitangi Day on the 180th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. Following the treaty, the British Crown claimed sovereignty over the country, citing what it claimed was the free consent of over 500 rangatira (chiefs) and the tribal communities they represented. Written by Michael Belgrave. Narration by Dr. Nicholas B. Breyfogle. Production by Hannah Keller, Dr. Nicholas B. Breyfogle, Justin Troyer, and Victoria Paige. A transcript is available at https://origins.osu.edu/milestones/treaty-waitangi-new-zealand-maori. This is a production of Origins: Current Events in Historical Perspective at the Goldberg Center in the Department of History at The Ohio State University and the Department of History at Miami University. Be sure to subscribe to our channel to receive updates about our videos and podcasts. For more information about Origins: Current Events in Historical Perspective, please visit origins.osu.edu.

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Nicholas B. Breyfogle

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Origins: Current Events in Historical Perspective, The Ohio State University, Miami University

Books & works: Treaty of Waitangi

Places: New Zealand

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