Happy Waitangi Day
On this date in 1840, some 40 Maori chiefs and British Governor William Hobson gathered in the village of Waitangi, in the Bay of Islands, to sign a treaty which gave Britain sovereignty over the land of New Zealand, while protecting the Maoris’ ownership of their lands and treasures.
This was called the Treaty of Waitangi. Over the coming years, the Maori were disappointed with persistent encroachment upon their territory, and battles ensued. A New Zealand government eventually apologized for violations of the treaty, promising compensation. Today, Waitangi Day is considered New Zealand’s founding day and is a national holiday.
The term Maori means “original people” or “local people.” It was used to signify the local inhabitants of New Zealand, as opposed to the “Pakeha,” the “new arrivals.” When the European settlers came to the area, the word came to mean the Maori people.
February 9th, 2010 at 12:42 pm
I attended a conference in NZ once where, amongst other things, we had meetings with local Maori leaders. One of the lessons I took from the meetings was always understand what you are signing. The Maori were sensible enough to ensure that they signed both English and Maori language versions of the Treaty. The different documents had slightly different meanings and the meanings are still debated (and the impact) at Waitangi Treaty meetings.