Māori Wardens at Waitangi
Saturday 31st January 2026 over 100 Wardens hit the road for Waitangi, preparing to assist with one of the year’s biggest events. The week-long operation involves year-round planning and Wātene from Te Taitokerau are supported by wardens from throughout the motu.
Rangatahi Wardens
This year we invited rangatahi from all over the motu to join us to experience what it’s like to be a Māori Warden at Waitangi. Media and politicians enjoyed meeting with our rangatahi.
They also took over our social media and made some great videos. The future looks bright for Māori Wardens!
The rōpū of rangatahi learned about the different aspects of being a wātene, from traffic management to security, whānau support and responding to emergency and weather events.
The magic of Waitangi
As always, Māori Wardens could be seen across the sites at Waitangi. The Whare Runanga (top marae) where Māori Wardens are a reassuring presence on the frontline; supporting Te Tii Marae with its beautifully renovated wharenui; keeping the path clear during the waka ceremony with its thousands of spectators; and of course keeping whānau safe across different events – the markets, kapa haka performances and wananga.
We love connecting with you all at Waitangi. Hei tera tau! See you next year!
