Those who had pulled out included the iwi leaders, Tainui and the Kīngitanga, and the Māori Party.
All said they were doing so out of respect to concerns raised by some in the North – including Hone Harawira – about whether the usual celebrations should happen given Waitangi was in the two-week window of incubation.
That raised something of a conundrum for Ardern: and the question of whether she should still go, given the unease in the North and the decisions of others to acknowledge that. That is as much a question of perception for her than a question of whether it is too risky.
Ardern is usually the first to leap to the position of abundance of caution. She has been criticised in the past for leaping to lockdowns or restrictions too quickly.
This time round, in the absence of evidence of any wider spread, she has kept her plans intact, saying the Government has no reason to consider an alert level change that would restrict large gatherings.
What is clearly concerning the people up north is that the thing most likely to trigger an alert level change would be a large gathering where it was later discovered somebody had Covid-19.
A large gathering like, say, Waitangi weekend.
Some may be questioning whether Ardern should proceed as usual. She is, after all, something of a Mass Gathering magnet herself.
The Waitangi organisers were nervous about going ahead, and there was some pressure on them after the various other groups withdrew.
It was the Government which reassured them to keep going.
General director of Health Ashley Bloomfield was wheeled out to give the green light, saying on Friday that people should holiday as normal.
But he also sounded some caution: Level One is not Level None.
Whatever the reason for Ardern's decision, unless there are significant changes she will be at Waitangi.
Ardern has managed to turn her pilgrimage to the North ahead of Waitangi Day into something of a PR triumph for her.
This year is particularly important – it is the first time she will go up under a Labour Government, without NZ First.
The reminder of NZ First will be there: leader Winston Peters and former MP Shane Jones usually attend.
But Ardern no longer has to temper her promises to fit with NZ First's policies.
The first policy announcement of the week will highlight that: it is understood it relates to Māori wards in councils.
It is something NZ First would not have signed off on.
This year's visit will start with a reminder of the fractious past of Crown-Māori relations and the breaches that followed the signing of the Treaty: Ardern will visit Ruapekapeka for the unveiling of a memorial for the grave of a dozen British soldiers killed during the attack on the pā.
The next day will bring things firmly back to the present and future relationship. The Iwi Leaders forum will be held virtually, but Ardern will join in.
That agenda will include Covid-19. But it has not overridden everything.
When Labour first got into government, there were some tensions in the relationship between iwi leaders and government.
Labour ministers were dismissive of the influence the forum had under the National Government.
At the first meetings after the 2017 election, the leaders were told to shift their focus to the priorities of the Labour Government: social policies such as housing and child poverty.
Iwi leaders have skewed somewhat in that direction, but they do not (and should not) simply give up other issues because a Government wants them to.
The iwi leaders are charged with the management of the iwi assets and businesses, as well as ensuring the Treaty promises are maintained. It is as much a business relationship as a Treaty relationship.
It is not always comfortable for the Government, and nor should it be.
The Treaty and business relationship dovetail in issues such as water rights, an almost permanent fixture on iwi leader agendas.
Tuesday will also bring another significant moment. For the first time since 2017, politicians from Labour will go onto Te Tii Marae.
The marae used to be a staple for politicians and was the venue for protests, and where government were repeatedly held to account, whether they wanted to be or not.
It was taken off the agenda in 2017 – Ardern has never been on in her capacity as Prime Minister.
This year she won't go on either: Labour's Māori MPs will go before Ardern arrives up north. But it could pave the way for a return to the lower marae.
