Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Waitangi Day ... #252

Some see today as a national holiday, a day of celebration, a day of protest, a personal holiday ... or maybe just a day to catch up with some sleep

6 February 1840 The Treaty of Waitangi is signed

Waitangi Day ... Every year on 6 February, New Zealand marks the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840. In that year, representatives of the British Crown and over 500 Maori chiefs signed what is New Zealand’s founding document. The day was first officially commemorated in 1934, and it has been a public holiday since 1974.
For some people, Waitangi Day is a holiday; for many, and especially for Maori, it is the occasion for reflecting on the Treaty. Since the 1970s the style and mood of the commemorations on Waitangi Day have been influenced by the increasingly heated debate surrounding the place of the Treaty in modern New Zealand.
Waitangi Day is recognised as New Zealand's national day, but the long-standing tensions associated with it are always likely to surface in one form or another. The date is an important marker in the country's history. Recognition of the significance of the Treaty of Waitangi as the nation's founding document will continue to encourage leaders, communities and individuals to mark the day in new ways.

3 comments:

 gmirage said...

Wow, must be a really nice weather for the grass to make a good bed under the sun! Good day!

The D in D & T said...

Cool photo! Lucky girl, it's illegal to even walk on the grass here in Athens. Strange, but (unhappily) true.

Janet said...

Ah! Grass is made for lounging!