Waitangi Day

Waitangi Day is a New Zealand national holiday celebrated on February 6th to recognize the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. Unfortunately, I had an organic chemistry exam to prepare for on this day and was unable to partake in any of the events on campus, but this did not stop me from researching more about this unique holiday.

The indigenous people of New Zealand, the Maori, and the early European settlers known as Pakeha clashed until the creation of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840. Before the making of the treaty, New Zealand had not been recognized as a sovereign nation, and the British became responsible for doing so under its name. Representatives from the British Crown and over 500 Maori chiefs worked together to make this living document. The treaty was drafted by William Hobson, and two interpretations of the treaty were made: the English version and the Maori interpretation. These two carried different interpretations on both sides which led to some conflict.

In 1932 Lord Bledisloe gave the Waitangi nation the Treaty House as a means to celebrate the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. The hope was to bring unity between the Maori and Pakeha as a means to strengthen relations between the two groups of people. This holiday was not celebrated until 1934, but it was characterized by a sense of unity and a push for Christianity as a way to bring the people together. This was how Lord Bledisloe had envisioned what the hopes William Hobson had for the signing of the treaty.

Since the recognition of the holiday, the Maori pushed for Waitangi Day to become a national holiday although there was a backlash. The Maori supported the holiday as a means to acknowledge and change race relations between the Maori and Pakeha. The government at the time did not find it necessary to recognize Waitangi Day as a paid national holiday and had felt that race relations were fine. However, the Maori continued to persevere for practice over promise when it came to race relations and it was not until 1960 that it was declared a national holiday. With the support of Prime Minister Walter Nash, the holiday finally received the recognition it deserved. Now, this holiday serves as a thanksgiving and a reflection of the Waitangi Treaty and its cultural importance.

Steps are being taken in the right direction to strengthen ties between the Maori and the Pakeha to work towards one nation. I believe that recognition of the holiday and learning about Maori culture is of great importance. In my time in New Zealand, I have seen firsthand how the Maori culture is deeply respected, preserved, and celebrated throughout the nation. Getting to experience some of these traditions firsthand such as the haka and hongi has allowed me to immerse into a new culture, and I got to see how New Zealand is able to find unity between two very different cultures.

William Hobson