Everything about Waitangi Day totally explained
Waitangi Day is the
national day of
New Zealand. It is a
public holiday held each year on
February 6 to celebrate the signing of the
Treaty of Waitangi, New Zealand's founding document, on that date in 1840.
History
The
Treaty of Waitangi was signed on
6 February,
1840, in a marquee erected in the grounds of James Busby's house (now known as the
Treaty house) at
Waitangi in the
Bay of Islands. The Treaty made New Zealand a part of the
British Empire, guaranteed
Māori rights to their land and gave Māori the rights of British citizens. There are significant differences between the Māori and English language versions of the Treaty, and virtually since 1840 this has led to debate over exactly what was agreed to at Waitangi. Māori have generally seen the Treaty as a sacred pact, while for many years
Pākehā (the Māori word for New Zealanders of predominantly European ancestry) ignored it. By the early twentieth century, however, some Pākehā were beginning to see the Treaty as their nation's founding document and a symbol of British
humanitarianism. Unlike Māori, few Pākehā saw the Treaty as a valid legal document to which they needed to strictly adhere.
Early celebrations
The signing of the treaty wasn't commemorated until 1934. Prior to that date, most celebrations of New Zealand's founding as a colony were marked on
29 January, the date on which
William Hobson arrived in the
Bay of Islands. In 1932,
Governor-General Lord Bledisloe and his wife had purchased and presented to the nation the run-down house of James Busby, where the treaty was signed. The
Treaty house and grounds were made a public reserve, which was dedicated on
6 February 1934. This event is considered by some to be the first Waitangi Day, although celebrations were not yet held annually. At the time, it was the most representative meeting of Māori ever held. Attendees included the
Maori King and thousands of
Pakeha. Some Māori may have also been commemorating the 100th anniversary of the signing of the
Declaration of Independence of New Zealand, but there's little evidence of this.
In 1940, another major event was held at the grounds, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the treaty signing. This was less well attended, partially because of the outbreak of
World War II and partially because the government had recently offended the Māori King. However the event was still a success and helped raise the profile of the treaty.
Annual celebrations
Annual commemorations of the treaty signing began in 1947. The 1947 event was a
Royal New Zealand Navy ceremony centering on a flagpole which the Navy had paid to erect in the grounds. The ceremony was brief and featured no Māori. The following year, a Māori speaker was added to the line-up, and subsequent additions to the ceremony were made nearly every year. From 1952, the Governor General attended, and from 1958 the Prime Minister also attended, although not every year. From the mid-1950s, a Māori cultural performance was usually given as part of the ceremony. Many of these early features remain a part of Waitangi Day ceremonies, including a naval salute, the Māori cultural performance (now usually a ceremonial welcome), and speeches from a range of Māori and Pākehā dignitaries.
Public holiday
Waitangi Day was proposed as a public holiday by the
New Zealand Labour Party in their 1957 party manifesto. After Labour won the election they were reluctant to create a new public holiday, so the
Waitangi Day Act was passed in 1960 making it possible for a locality to substitute Waitangi Day as an alternative to an existing public holiday. In 1963, after a change in government, Waitangi Day was substituted for
Auckland Anniversary Day as the provincial holiday in
Northland.
New Zealand Day
In 1971 the Labour shadow minister of
Māori Affairs,
Matiu Rata, introduced a private members' bill to make Waitangi Day a national holiday, to be called New Zealand Day. This wasn't passed into law. After the 1972 election of the
third Labour government under
Norman Kirk, it was announced that from 1974 Waitangi Day would be a national holiday known as New Zealand Day. The
New Zealand Day Act 1973 was passed in 1973.
For Norman Kirk, the change was simply an acceptance that New Zealand was ready to move towards a broader concept of nationhood. Diplomatic posts had for some years marked the day, and it seemed timely in view of the country's increasing role on the international stage that the national day be known as New Zealand Day. At the 1974 celebrations, the
Flag of New Zealand was flown for the first time at the top of the flagstaff at Waitangi, rather than the
Union Flag, and a replica of the flag of the
United Tribes of New Zealand was also flown.
The election of the
third National government in 1975 led to the day being renamed Waitangi Day because the new Prime Minister,
Robert Muldoon, didn't like the name "New Zealand Day" and many Māori felt the new name debased the Treaty of Waitangi. Another
Waitangi Day Act was passed in 1976 to change the name of the day back to Waitangi Day.
Controversy and protest
Although this is New Zealand's national day, the commemoration has often been the focus of protest by
Māori activists and is often marred by controversy. From 1971, Waitangi and Waitangi Day became a focus of protest concerning treaty injustices, with
Nga Tamatoa leading early protests. Activists initially called for greater recognition of the Treaty, but by the early 1980s, protest groups were more likely to argue that the treaty was a 'fraud' with which Pākehā had conned Māori out of their land. Attempts were made by groups including the Waitangi Action Committee to halt the celebrations. This led to major confrontations between police and protesters, sometimes resulting in dozens of arrests. When the treaty gained greater official recognition in the mid 1980s, emphasis switched back to calls to honour the treaty, and protesters generally returned to the aim of raising awareness of the treaty and what they saw as its neglect by the state.
Recent protests
Several hundred protesters often gather at Waitangi. Although not part of the official celebrations, Māori sovereignty activists often attempt to fly the Māori sovereignty flag from the flagstaff. These protests are generally contained by the police, though a few arrests are normally made. Attempts at vandalism of the flagstaff are often an objective of these protests, carrying on a tradition that dates from the 19th century when
Hone Heke chopped down the British flagstaff in nearby Russell. In 2004, protesters succeeded in flying the Māori sovereignty flag above the other flags on the flagstaff by flying it from the top of a nearby tree. Some commentators described this gesture as audacious and bold.
Because of the level of protest that had previously occurred at Waitangi, the new Prime Minister didn't attend in 2000. The official celebrations were shifted from Waitangi to
Wellington in 2001. Some Māori felt that this was an insult to them and to the Treaty. In 2003 and 2004, the anniversary was again officially commemorated at the
Treaty house at Waitangi.
Many people, both Māori and Pākehā, feel that the treaty itself is being overshadowed by media coverage of protests, especially where political leaders are involved or caught in the crossfire. In particular
Ngapuhi, whose ancestors were the main treaty signatories at Waitangi, have often been antagonistic towards protesters and have sought to keep Waitangi Day as peaceful and uncontroversial as possible.
Some people, mostly Pākehā, have felt that Waitangi Day is too divisive to be a national day and have sought to replace it with
Anzac Day or revive
Dominion Day. Others, for example the
United Future Party's
Peter Dunne, have suggested that the name of the day be changed back to New Zealand Day. Many Māori see these as moves to disregard the treaty. Some New Zealanders of neither Māori nor British ancestry view the day as being relevant only to those two groups.
Celebrations
At Waitangi
Celebrations at Waitangi often commence the previous day,
February 5, at the
Ngapuhi Te Tii marae, where political dignitaries are welcomed onto the
marae and hear speeches from the local
iwi. These speeches often deal with the issues of the day, and vigorous and robust debate occurs.
At dawn on Waitangi Day, the Royal New Zealand Navy raises the
New Zealand Flag,
Union Flag and
White Ensign on the flagstaff in the treaty grounds. The ceremonies during the day generally include a church service and cultural displays such as dance and song. Several
waka and a navy ship also re-enact the calling ashore of Governor Hobson to sign the treaty. The day closes with the flags being lowered by the Navy in a traditional ceremony.
Elsewhere in New Zealand
In recent years, communities throughout New Zealand have been celebrating Waitangi Day in a variety of ways. These often take the form of public concerts and festivals. Some marae use the day as an open day and an educational experience for their local communities, giving them the opportunity to experience Māori culture and protocol. Other marae use the day as an opportunity to explain where they see Māori are and the way forward for Māori in New Zealand. Another popular way of celebrating the day is at concerts held around the country. Since the day is also
Bob Marley's birthday,
reggae music is especially popular. Wellington has a long running "One Love" festival that celebrates peace and unity. Another such event is "Groove in the Park", held in the
Auckland Domain before 2007 and at
Western Springs subsequently. Celebrations are largely muted in comparison to those seen on the national days of most countries. There are no mass parades, nor truly widespread celebrations. As the day is a public holiday, and happens during the warmest part of the New Zealand summer, many people take the opportunity to spend the day at the beach - an important part of both the Māori and Pākehā cultures.
Elsewhere in the World
In
London,
United Kingdom, which has one of the largest New Zealand
expatriate populations, a tradition has arisen in recent years to celebrate Waitangi Day. On the closest Saturday to
6 February,
Kiwis participate in a
pub crawl using the
London Underground's
Circle Line. Although the stated aim is to consume one drink at each of the 27 stops, most participants stop at a handful of stations, usually beginning at
Paddington and moving anti-clockwise towards
Temple. At 4 p.m., a large-scale
haka is performed at
Parliament Square as
Big Ben marks the hour. Participants wear costumes and sing songs such as "
God Defend New Zealand", all of which is in stark contrast to the much more subdued observance of the day in New Zealand itself.
In many other countries with a New Zealand expatriate population, Waitangi Day is celebrated privately. The day is officially celebrated by all New Zealand embassies and
High Commissions.
On Waitangi Day 2007,
Air New Zealand commissioned a number of New Zealanders living in
Los Angeles and
Southern California on Waitangi Day to create a sand sculpture of a
silver fern on the
Santa Monica Beach creating a stir in the surrounding area, and even having a news item broadcast on a local TV Channel, with the presenter pronouncing Waitangi Day, Wai-tan-jeeee Day
Further Information
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