Maori , Waitangi

Spotlight:

Waitangi Meeting House

Why is today called Waitangi Day if it celebrates the founding of New Zealand? 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 (celebrated on February 6), is considered New Zealand's founding day and is a national holiday. The term Maori means "original people" 原住民 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.

Quote:

"New Zealand is not a small country but a large village." — Peter Jackson