Waitangi Treaty Grounds - Overcoming the Barriers

Touching the carvings helps bring their stories closer to students with vision impairment.

There are things we can do to adapt the Whare Rūnanga experience for you.

Sitting outside and listening to the show with an Education Team member.

Visit the whare between shows with full lights on.

Ngātokimatawhaorua is the wonderful war canoe that is a must see when visiting Waitangi. Audio plays when you stand alongside it - the chanting of the kaihoe (paddlers). The waka itself, and the carvings around it, can be touched.

Te Rau Aroha consist of two very different spaces: Extensive exhibitions including audio-visual displays, as well as a contemplative memorial space Whare Maumahara.

Light levels vary through the exhibition. You can hear the trickling of water used to whakanoa (remove tapu).

The light is much brighter in the Whare Maumahara, and sound gets amplified.

Here an eight minute presentation is projected across 11 tables.

For some students the Pōwhiri can be unsettling.

Like the Te Kōngahu Museum of Waitangi, the Treaty House has audio-visual displays that can suddenly burst into life.

In the courtyard behind the main entrance, visitors often will be found getting ready for guided tours. Again, this area can be quite busy at times, especially when guided tours depart.

Bird life is a wonderful aspect of the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. During your visit you will most surely get up close and personal with our feathered friends.

We encourage students to see the humour that is also on display so that it balances out any unsettling moments.

For some students the first steps into the Museum can be an overwhelming sensory experience. When the automatic doors swish open the eyes and ears are immediately aware of atmospheric lighting and the voices from video installations throughout the museum. There are shouts and music, the sounds of trumpets and conch shells. The entrance floor is flooded with moving blue lights to represent the oceans that were crossed by Māori and European explorers.

Because of our location, water is all around us at Waitangi. There are streams, ponds and of course the ocean. Their sounds and smells are all around us, too.

Some parts of the Treaty Grounds are small and narrow. Others are the opposite. The Upper Treaty Grounds are a big open space.

There are several automatic doors and revolving doors. All of these can be modified to remove stress. Sometimes though, just having awareness is enough to alleviate this.

A visit to Waitangi will see a lot of moving around from the Museum down to Ngātokimatawhaorua, the incredible waka, and then up to the Treaty House and Whare Rūnanga. It can be quite tiring for some students. Pathways can be steep at times. We can work with you to plan alternatives.

With awareness and planning we believe that Te Pitowhenua - the birthplace of modern Aotearoa New Zealand - can be an incredible experience for all students, regardless of their particular special needs. Talk to us and let us help plan your visit to The Waitangi Treaty Grounds. Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.

Te Kōngahu is an amazing Museum that really does a fine job explaining the story of the Treaty of Waitangi. We believe it is an essential part of any visit to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds.

The main entrance to the Treaty Grounds is often a busy and sometimes a noisy place. Excited people from New Zealand and all over the world can make Waharoa quite crowded. We can offer alternative entrances that are quieter if needed.

The cultural performance has unexpected shouts and loud singing. For some students it can be initially overwhelming.

Raupatutia ngā tau ārai -  Overcoming the Barriers

Cultural performances can feel quite crowded. Visitors walk through a small door into a dimly lit room full of imposing carvings.

Some students may need peer support to get over initial fears. A ramp onto the porch can be set up for students with limited mobility.

Nau mai, haere mai. Welcome to Te Pitowhenua - our nation’s birthplace. This e-book has been made available to you to ensure all of your students are ready for their experience of the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. We are aware that some of your students may have learning impairments and that often the sights and sounds, physical and emotional environments of new places can become barriers to learning and enjoyment. We would love to think that sharing this book with them may help to remove some of those barriers and / or help you as a teacher be prepared to help them get the most from your visit.

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