Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has ended her historic speech at Waitangi by asking those there to hold her to account to prove she earned the right to speak at the marae.

Ardern was the first female prime minister to be given the right to speak at the marae after prolonged discussions. Usually only men are able to speak in powhiri.

She promised to continue meeting with Maori around the country.

"So when we return in one year, in three years, I ask you to ask us what we have done for you.

"Hold us to account. Because one day I want to be able to tell my child that I earned the right to stand here. And only you can tell me when I have done that."

The Prime Minister said they should hold her to account on issues such as child poverty, the environment and prison rates.

It was a peaceful powhiri, watched by about 150 locals and tourists.

Ardern was welcomed on to the upper marae on the Treaty grounds mid-morning after already spending three days in Northland.

She began her speech at the marae at Waitangi with an extended introduction in te reo Maori, using cue cards to ensure it was correct.

She acknowledged the local iwi and hapu and those who had taken her onto the marae.

"I do not take lightly the privilege extended to me to speak ... today, not only as a Prime Minister but as a wahine."

It is the first time a female prime minister has been allowed to speak during a powhiri at the marae.

Ardern also acknowledged her governing parties, NZ First and the Greens.

"As a Government, we have been here for five days. We did not come simply for the beauty and hospitality of the north. We came because there is work to do. And we will only achieve what needs to be done together."

She said those days had canvassed education, health, housing, roads and jobs and now action was required. "This is the beginning for our Government and I thank you."

The Prime Minister said Labour had not created the new ministerial role of iwi-Crown relations lightly.

While some iwi - including Ngapuhi - were yet to settle, the Crown also had to ensure it upheld the terms of the settlements it had signed.

She promised the relationship and responsibility would "continue on with strength and hope."

Family ties to Waitangi

Ardern said her father had brought her and her sister to the Treaty grounds as a child "because he had a great love of history".

She recalled her father handing her the camera to take a photo of her parents there.

"Just as I was about to take the photo he grabbed my mother in the most public display of affection. Kissed her full on the lips just as I was about to take the photo, embarrassing me and my sister immensely."

She said she hoped her own children and others would have memories of the place and learn the history of the Treaty and New Zealand.

"That is our history and we must always be honest about our history and what it means to us."

Ardern said she also hoped they would learn the importance of manaakitanga - of hospitality, generosity and sharing.

"And I hope they know we value the ability to speak frankly and openly with each other. We should never shy away from that because if we don't speak freely as a nation we will never learn."

Ardern also spoke of the problems facing Maori and "the distance between us" - referring to employment and incarceration levels.

"I inherently believe in the power of change. And I hope not only that my child will believe in that too, but that they will see that change."

Historic powhiri

Earlier this morning the powhiri for Ardern and other MPs began with a series of wero (challenges) for the Government parties.

It is customary for only males to take part in the wero, a process to determine whether the visitor is friend or foe.

NZ First Leader Winston Peters and Greens co-leader James Shaw also accepted wero.

The parties were greeted with a fierce haka by the warrior waka paddlers.

Ardern was escorted by Titewhai Harawira and Dame Naida Glavish and was seated on the maho (porch) at the front of the whare runanga (meeting house).

Earlier today, Ardern told Mike Hosking on Newstalk ZB she expected practical measures to follow from the extended visit. She had met Northland mayors as well as Maori groups about the economic development needs of the region and Treaty Negotiations Minister Andrew Little had met Ngapuhi leaders to try to progress settlement talks.

Ardern and some of her senior ministers have been up since February 1 as part of a five-day visit to introduce her to Northland, in particular Maoridom.

Ardern told Breakfast the visit was a privilege and personally significant to her, having visited the grounds since she was a young child.

"But this is not a one-off for us. We will be back. It's one day of many in a year where we need to demonstrate we are fulfilling people's expectations."

She did not know if there would be protests but did not believe Waitangi Day should be perfect.

"One of the things I feel quite strongly about is that we seem to seek perfection in Waitangi Day. That for 364 days of the year we speak openly, we are quite frank about one another, we embrace our freedom and contest of ideas. And then on one day of the year if any of that happens we think we've somehow failed."

She said the contest of ideas should be celebrated. "So if there is protest, that won't bother me."