How The Waitangi Treaty Grounds Were Digitally Preserved

Waitangi is a national wharenui, or meeting house, which means that it belongs to everybody. Everyone is allowed to use it and say “my meeting house is in Waitangi.” In 1840, this is where the founding document of New Zealand was signed. 

CyArk documented the Waitangi Treaty Grounds in December 2017 using a combination of terrestrial and aerial photogrammetry and LiDAR laser scanning.

Thousands of overlapping images were taken inside the meeting house and then stitched together in a process known as photogrammetry. This produced 3D data that allows people from around the world to learn about the symbolism and history of the people of New Zealand.

The figure represented here is known as Rahiri, one of the most notable ancestors from the region.

The meeting house hosts a variety of cultural performances. Explore the 3D model of the nearby war canoe to learn more.