In return, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters has bit back at a hostile crowd, telling one to "get an education and get some manners" as he was heckled.
Chris Luxon's coalition government travelled to the fabled treaty grounds on Monday for a public meeting, or powhiri, with Maori leaders.
After a summer of protest at his government's plans for Maori, expectations of a tense atmosphere were realised.
Government speakers were met with heckles and haka, and Mr Peters was booed after he announced he would be making a short speech due to a later meeting.
Mr Peters attacked Maori leaders for fear-mongering over his government's plans to redefine the legal principles of the Treaty of Waitangi.
"Whoever said we're getting rid of the Treaty of Waitangi? Who?" he implored.
"Stop the crap. Stop the nonsense. Stop the hysteria.
"Some of us were out here before you were born, fighting for Maori land rights ... so we aren't here to apologise."
The right-leaning government has policies to roll back use of the Maori language, and incentives to learn it, to disestablish Maori-specific public services, and most controversially, redefine how the Treaty of Waitangi impacts law.
In recent weeks, Maori have staged a national day of protest, and rallied around a once-in-a-decade Royal Proclamation from the Maori King for a national gathering for unity.
Monday's gathering, an annual ritual where government leaders travel to the far north, where the Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840, was always likely to be a flashpoint.
The local Maori tribe, Ngapuhi, gave Mr Luxon a spirited welcome, with haka and waiata, or Maori song.
NZ Prime Minister Chris Luxon is greeted by a local at Ratana Pa. (Ben McKay/AAP PHOTOS)
The occasion has drawn thousands of locals with many holding signs splattered with fake blood asking him to "honour the treaty".
When the powhiri began, Maori speakers challenged the government to reverse course.
"Our sneaky strategy is to say it time and time and time again in every forum so that it catches your conscious and subconscious: that is to protect the Treaty of Waitangi," Rahui Papa said.
The minister responsible for the most inflammatory policy, David Seymour, initially yielded his speaking rights to party member Nicole McKee.
"What a joke David Seymour, you should be ashamed of yourself," a crowd member heckled.
When he spoke later, the crowd were so incensed with his speech they sang over him.
"You can sing, you can sing, you're not going to beat an idea by singing," he said.
"Let's have respect and let's have facts ... today I've heard people say we are spiders, that we are sandflies.
"I'm sorry to say, not even Donald Trump is calling his opponents sandflies. You should attack ideas not people.
"See you next year. We can't wait for the debate to continue," he said as he left the stage.
Earlier on Monday, renowned Maori activist Tame Iti led an experimental art hikoi - or Maori march - onto the treaty grounds.
Around 1000 people joined with Mr Iti, many carrying white flags.
30°C