A groundswell of resistance against the government’s Māori policies is driving many to make the trip to the Waitangi treaty grounds in New Zealand’s far north for the first time

Twenty-year-old Keshaan Te Waaka stands – for the first time – on the narrow bridge connecting New Zealand’s far north coastal town Paihia to the Waitangi treaty grounds, where 185 years ago, Māori chiefs and the British Crown forged a nation state.

Above her, the red, black and white flags of Māori independence flick and pop in the breeze. Hundreds of people amble behind her towards the grounds – some pausing to cheer on children launching themselves into the estuary hoping to create a colossal splash.