The following resource has been shared with permission from Common Grace Aotearoa, a Christian network committed to justice, reconciliation, and honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Waitangi Day is a significant moment for reflection, learning, and action as we seek to live into the promise of mutual flourishing that Te Tiriti represents. In a time when this vision faces challenges, it is more important than ever to listen deeply, pray, and engage meaningfully. Below, Common Grace Aotearoa offers guidance on how we can honour Waitangi Day in our homes, communities, and churches.
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Kia ora,
How will you spend this significant day? At a moment when the promise of mutual flourishing that Te Tiriti represents is under threat, Waitangi day is a chance to listen deeply to how God, through the leadership of tangata whenua, is inviting us again to live into that promise in our homes, neighbourhoods and nation.
Below we share invitations to pray, to learn and to connect locally.
What to do on Waitangi Day?
Pray
Pray for a God’s spirit of love and reconciliation to be present at Waitangi and everywhere there are commemorations.
For the folks at Te Tii Marae and all who hīkoi to Waitangi.
For iwi Māori and all organising Waitangi commemorations, hīkoi and events.
For our political leaders, that they would listen well to the kōrero and wero laid down by Māori leadership.
For the hearts of those in our communities and churches to be softened to the message and calls from tangata whenua to honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Lord hear our prayer.
Listen & Learn
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Tune into the dawn service at Waitangi from 5am, or the interdenominational church service from 9am. Live coverage via main news outlets.
If you’d like do some more reading and learning yourself, check out these resources collated by Common Grace volunteers last year, for learning around Te Tiriti, an alternative constitutional future for Aotearoa through Matike Mai, whiteness, tauiwi (settlers) of the global majority and tangata tiriti this Waitangi Day. We hope this document may have sources that are new, challenging, helpful and inspiring for you based on where you are at.
Connect
Head along to a Waitangi commemoration in your local area, organised by mana whenua or your local Māori trust. Here are a few:
Te Whanganui-a-Tara / Wellington:
- Kotahitanga and solidarity hikoi 10am from Pukeahu, followed by festivities at Waitangi park, 12-6pm.
Kāpiti:
- Te Rā o Waitangi at Rangiātea and All Saints Church in Ōtaki. Featured speakers include Archbishop Emeritus Sir David Moxon, Rev Māmari Stephens and Rev Dr Rangi Nicholson, at Rangiātea Church, 1pm in Ōtaki.
Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland:
- Waitangi Waititi – 9am-4pm (8:30am powhiri), Parrs Park. Organised by Te Whānau o Waipareira.
- Waitangi ki Tāmaki- 10am-3pm, Point England Reserve, organised by Auckland Council and Ngāti Pāoa
- Waitangi ki Manukau – 10am-4pm (8am powhiri), Barry Curtis Park (new venue). Organised by Auckland Council in partnership with Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki.
Act
To have a courageous conversation with someone about Te Tiriti o Waitangi, “Groundwork” have a great set of downloadable resources and webpages such as:
We recommend this great website exploring co-governance by Te Tiriti based futures, and the below list of conversation resources collated by Common Grace volunteers.
Don’t forget – if you’d like to foster further conversation in the coming weeks, consider running the two 90-minute video workshops Belonging in this Land: Treaty Basics from a Christian Perspective with your faith community.
We wish you a wonderful Waitangi weekend, and pray that God will speak, teach and encourage us all as we reflect on what it means to live together in Aotearoa.
| Ngā manaakitanga, Alex and Kate, Co-directors Common Grace Aotearoa |
| If you’re interested in supporting the ongoing work of Common Grace Aotearoa, you can contribute to our mahi here. |