Kuia Julie Ranginui, who is in her eighties, fought off tears because the day brought back memories of her old people.
She liked the way it brought together people from the whole length of the river.
"They're all being bonded together with what's happening today."
And she said that unityextended to others as well. In the past elders had frowned on people from elsewhere using the river. She remembered her own grandmother's panic when a jetboat went by as she was throwing in a line to fish for eels.
In those days the thinking was always: "I am the river and the river is me". Education and increased use of the river had changed the attitude to "I am the river and the river is ours".
As for the signing, Mrs Ranginui said for her it was a continuation of years of effort to "make sure everything is going to work for our generations to come".
And she said river people always put on a good occasion.
"Anything up there is always special to us on the river."
