Thousands of Auckland families flocked to Waitangi Day festivals to enjoy live performances, food stalls and a feeling of unity.
Festival-goers share their thoughts about the day:
“The main thing is that we enjoy spending this time together, regardless of what has happened and the disagreements of the past.”
“It's a day to bind us together, to come together as one.”
“It's a time to let people from, every whānau and every iwi, that Waitangi holds a lot of meaning for Māori”
People of diverse backgrounds got a glimpse into Māori traditions.
Tikanga Māori Advisor Tūnuiārangi McLean says, “People from all over have arrived, Pākehā, people from the Pacific Islands. I spoke to some from South Africa who were amazed at the event.”
With no protesting to be seen, the general feeling this year was that of unity.