In photos: People of the hīkoi, and why they marched

Hikoi mō Te Tiriti has come to an end, going down in history as the largest march to Parliament in Aotearoa.

As the hīkoi gained momentum, thousands gathered across the motu to tautoko the kaupapa. Here's a glimpse of a few of those who joined and why they were there.

Lena Tau

In Dargaville, as Tama-nui-te-rā shone brightly on the region, all eyes gravitated towards wahine Māori Lena Tau as she danced in the centre of the park while people began to arrive.

Tau said she was there representing her mokopuna, mokomoko, and those living with disabilities.

"I am here for the voices of our people who live in services, who have a disability and can't come here and talk for themselves.

"I'm making sure that we remain Māori, we still live in the world of te ao Māori."

Tau said it was such a beautiful sight seeing so many people uniting as one fighting for te Tiriti.

Harlow Kapa and Soul Anihana-Dunn

Two rangatahi Māori, Harlow Kapa and Soul Anihana-Dunn, stood proudly as Māori at the Dargaville hīkoi, and each said they were there to fight for their rights.

"I'm here today to stand proud as a Māori and represent who I am and get my land back," Kapa said. "It means everything to me, just being able to stand with everyone and represent who we are and what we're here for."

Anihana-Dunn, wearing her custom-made tino rangatiratanga kākāhu, said she was honoured to walk alongside people fighting for Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

"The amount of mana we have as Māori in coming together, and being one, and standing up for our rights."

They both called upon the coalition to honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Herbert Manupiri

Herbert Manupiri, a descendent of Eruera Maihi Patuone - a Māori rangatira, and son of a 28th Māori Battalion soldier - stood proudly in Auckland awaiting to cross the Harbour Bridge.

He said it was important for kaumātua to be among the younger generation.

"We've got to be with our young people, and bring our kaumātua out because without that we've got nothing."

Manupiri marched alongside Dame Whina Cooper at the 1975 land march and said he would be one of the oldest left.

"It's good our young people are learning. It has to come from our young people, and that's where they have to sit down with their elders and learn through kōrero."

Ezekiel Hellesoe-Munroe, Nikau Beazely, Te Tahuri Hamilton

A group of three rangatahi aged 14-15 turned up in Auckland to tautoko the kaupapa.

Ezekiel Hellesoe-Munroe, Nikau Beazely and Te Tahuri Hamilton said they were there "for the kaupapa, to get our land back and stand up for our rights".

"And as our sign says, 'whaka round, find out'."

They said this was the most Māori they had ever seen in one location, and they were excited to march over the Auckland Harbour Bridge.

Kaysey Taylor

Kaysey Taylor was among the thousands of people who marched over the Auckland Harbour Bridge and continued her journey to Ihumātao. She said she was there to represent her whānau, her people, and Aotearoa.

"I'm feeling so proud, being here means everything to me… I'm on my reclamation journey and coming back to my Māoritanga this year, so I'm feeling so connected to the whenua and the people."

Taylor said there was no other place she would rather be.

Jenz Snowden

Jenz Snowden stood among an enthusiastic crowd of wāhine at the hīkoi and activation in Ihumātao, representing "Tāmaki, all our tamariki, nō Kohanga Reo, Kura Kaupapa, te iwi Māori katoa".

For Snowden, being part of the hīkoi meant "everything".

"[We are] doing it for our mokopuna kei te haramai, tūpuna that are no longer here, and just showing them-and showing the government-that we're not going anywhere. We're here."

Her message to the kawanatanga was clear.

"Listen to the people. We've been around. We're going to fight a good fight. So just listen to te iwi Māori for the greater good of Aotearoa."

Benny

Benny was among the hundreds of rangatahi at Ihumātao.

"I'm here to show up, support this kaupapa, to honour Te Tiriti, to ensure that this Treaty Principles Bill does not get further into succession, to ensure that our tino rangatiratanga remains with us and to annihilate the Crown.

"Being here, it means a lot. It means people power. It means connection with others, with oneness with the people."

Benny said the strong sense of kotahitanga was clear amongst the hīkoi, and when people come together for one singular kaupapa, it is a "really beautiful and powerful thing".

Michelle Hennessy

Michelle attended the Hamilton hīkoi, and said the reason for being there was to encourage all pākehā and tangata Tiriti to learn the history of Aotearoa.

"I truly believe that if you learn our history, you will actually strip away... any fear that you might have around te ao Māori and actually, what you'll realise is that it's for everybody."

She said by going through this process, people would start to recognise the privilege of being welcomed into this country.

"I just want to see more pākehā down here… there's quite a lot of us here, but we need more."

Sau Gardenia Lau Young

Samoan supporter Sau Gardenia Lau Young also attended the Hamilton hīkoi.

"Being Samoan, and in particular, being Samoan born and raised here in Waikato, it's important for us to honour [Te Tiriti o Waitangi] and really support the indigenous of this country."

Lau Young said people were full of hope and spirit at the hīkoi, and it was beautiful to see.

"It's awesome to see the kotahitanga amongst, not only Māori, but also allies of tangata whenua."

Patariki Hill

In Rotorua, Patariki Hill joined the hīkoi on horseback, proudly carrying tino rangatiratanga flags and riding alongside his whānau.

"Kia ea āe ngā mahi ā ō tātou mātua tīpuna."

Hill was proud to represent his people, tīpuna, and Māori, and despite the wet weather, rode across the main streets of Rotorua with a backdrop of black, white, and red in the air.

Pourewa Te Rata

Finally, at Parliament, rangatahi Māori like Pourewa Te Raka made their voices heard.

"Don't take away my Māori," he said, inspired by the strength of the other tamariki gathered there.

With a tino rangatiratanga flag tied to his body like a cape, Pourewa said he was at the hīkoi to support his kaupapa, his reo.

"Toitū Te Tiriti," he chanted.

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