A ferry carrying hīkoi participants from the South Island crossed the Cook Strait today, ahead of a protest over the coalition government's controversial Treaty Principles Bill.
There was a strong show of support for protesters as they arrived in Picton today.
Up to 30,000 people were expected to march to Parliament when the hīkoi mō te Tiriti reaches central Wellington on Tuesday.
The coalition government has introduced a bill that will seek to define in law the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi Treaty of Waitangi. Its architect is ACT leader David Seymour.
The bill states it would set out the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi in legislation, and requires those principles to be used when interpreting legislation, where relevant.
Its final clause states nothing in the bill would amend the text of the Treaty of Waitangi or Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
All parties other than ACT have committed to voting the bill down at the second reading after it has been to select committee, which would stop it from passing into law.
Commuters are warned to expect significant delays and university students have been told some classes will be moved online.
Ōtautahi hīkoi organiser Teresa Butler said the trip up Te Waipounamu on Monday had been "amazing".
"Every stop we have people join the hīkoi."
Butler told RNZ she looks at her daughter, who is nine, and hopes she won't have to be campaigning for Māori sovereignty when she's an adult.
"We've been fighting for over 200 years and I'm sick of it but I have to do it."
There will be extra buses and train carriages to ease congestion in the capital as the hīkoi arrives in Wellington.
However, commuters in the area were warned to allow extra time for travel and add several hours to their trips if needed.
