Brazilian couple Edna and Ole Gasper from Tauranga were celebrating their first trip to Waitangi. Abigail Dougherty/Stuff Waka groups practice for the big celebration on Saturday. They said it was important to be at Waitangi for New Zealand's most significant occasion. New research by the Waitangi National Trust showed more than half of New Zealanders have never been to the birthplace of the nation, and visitation is lower among young people. “We wanted to be connected to the spirit of Waitangi and learn about why this is so significant,” Edna Gasper said. “We've tried to come before and it never really worked out, but we're glad we're here now.”