New Zealand's Treaty of Waitangi was first signed in 1840.
The first signing took place on 6 February 1840 at Waitangi, in the Bay of Islands. Representatives of the British Crown and many Māori chiefs signed a document intended to establish an arrangement between the Crown and Māori communities.
The treaty exists in English and Māori versions, and important differences between their wording have shaped later legal and political debates. More than 500 Māori chiefs eventually signed copies during meetings held around New Zealand, although some chiefs did not sign.
The treaty did not immediately resolve every question of sovereignty, land ownership, or authority. The Waitangi Tribunal, established in 1975, investigates claims concerning Crown actions that breach treaty principles. New Zealand observes 6 February as Waitangi Day, its national day.