Waitangi Day commemorates the Treaty of Waitangi signed on Feb 6th 1840, when New Zealand became part of the British Empire. In 1972 a bill was passed to change the name to New Zealand Day, a decision which was quickly reversed in 1975.
 |
| copyright The Ponder Room |
Now living on a distant shore, my lack of current kiwi knowledge means I wouldn’t attempt to enter into this debate. Besides The Ponder Room is a political free zone. So there remains only one thing to ponder….pavlova!!
Actually now that I think about it the Waitangi Day issue may be quicker to resolve.
2 Comments
I remember spending a fantastic time at Waitangi, on one Waitangi day, when I lived in the Hokianga in NZ – the experience was electric as the crowds gathered, the navy boats loomed huge and grey in the harbour near the open monument on the hill and to be so close to the physical standoff between the Maori ‘warriors’ and the police, the atmosphere was bristling – and not all of it was due to the history! it is what I call ‘potent politics’.
I got chills just reading your comment, would love to see that some day.