A massive haka was performed as Prime Minister Christopher Luxon arrived at Waitangi with the two other leaders of the coalition government.
Thousands of people have already gathered at Waitangi for annual commemorations of New Zealand's national day. Waitangi Day, a public holiday, is tomorrow.
Luxon, of the National Party, led delegation onto the marae on Monday morning, flanked by NZ First leader Winston Peters and Act leader David Seymour.
Many in the crowd joined in a challenge as conches and trumpets sounding above the rousing haka.
There were relentless chants “to honour the treaty” as Seymour approached to the sound of booing.
Ministers were then welcomed onto Te Runanga Marae by NgapuhiTe Whare Rūnanga by Whae Nore and Hinerangi.
Earlier, NZ First MP Shane Jones said he could understand the reaction to some policies that his party campaigned on, including a review of the role of the Waitangi Tribunal and the principles of the Treaty.
But he said Māori had nothing to fear.
"I'm not dumb to the fact that lots of hapū and iwi resent those changes but I went out and campaigned on it and I don't think people should fear the inevitable discussion, it'll be a mature discussion, as to which of those principles in law should remain and what do they mean when they are put into the law."
The government would not overturn any Treaty settlements, some of which give added rights to iwi, he said.
Opposition parties, iwi leaders and the Kiingitanga arrived at the weekend to Te Whare Runanga in a show of solidarity.
The repeated call was one of kotahitanga - or unity - an invocation to stand together and fight, but not with violence.
Kiingitanga spokesperson Rahui Papa told RNZ the coalition parties would not go to sleep at night wondering what te ao Māori was thinking.
"We should be conducting ourselves in the mana of our tīpuna [ancestors] and we should be doing it in a rangimarie [peaceful] way, but absolutely getting our points across.
"The more that they hear it, the more it washes over them, the passion of te ao Māori to protect our founding documents."
Bayden Barber - of Ngati Kahungunu - said the message to the coalition was clear: Te Tiriti is off-limits.
"We can talk about other things. We can talk about policies that you want to put in or take out. But the Treaty is tapu, it's sacrosanct, leave it alone."
Speaking during Sunday's powhiri, Ngāpuhi rangatira Hone Sadler acknowledged the anger and hurt many felt toward the coalition but urged them "not to stoop to their level".
"Never meet anger with anger. Let us remain peaceful, humble, but don't let us drop our guard."
- NZ Herald and RNZ
