New Zealand Holidays - Waitangi Day in New Zealand (Waitangi Day)

Waitangi Day is an annual New Zealand holiday that has national status Celebrated regularly by local residents on February 6th On this day, more than 170 years ago, on the coast of the Waitangi River (translated as noisy water), the Treaty of Waitangi was signed between the Maori and Britain This treaty forever sowed divisions between the Maori and the European settlers According to historical data, by the end of the 19th century, illegal trade in land plots flourished in New Zealand Much competition, in particular, came from immigrants arriving from France The British government promised that it would eliminate the ongoing unrest and return the territories that belonged to the Maori In return, they had to accept British citizenship An agreement outlining these terms was formalized on 6 February between William Hobson, then governor of New Zealand and championing British interests, and the Maori rulers In the spring of that year, New Zealand officially joined the British Empire The text of the agreement was drawn up in English and translated into Maori Errors in translation and the absence of a huge number of specialized terms in the Maori vocabulary provoked serious conflict in the interpretation of treaty rights In addition, not every Maori ruler agreed to enter into an agreement Thus, no single decision was made There are currently a huge number of people who still oppose the celebration of Waitangi They consider the treaty signed in 1840 to be unworthy of the Maori people Despite ongoing conflicts and disagreements, Waitangi Day is celebrated in all regions of the country The gala program is packed with concert performances, Maori heritage performances, exhibitions and fun game shows The celebration acquired a similar scale in the 30s of the 20th century after the New Zealand governor acquired the land where James Busby's apartments were located (the place where the treaty was signed) and presented it to the nation as a symbol of the unification of all New Zealanders Since 1974, the holiday has received state status The most magnificent celebration is held on the Waitangi coast On the morning of February 6, when the sun is just beginning to rise, a ceremony is held here to raise the New Zealand flag The actors must show the scene of the agreement being concluded The Maori in canoes and the British in their ships gather in the Bay of Islands, land on the coast and gather in a clearing near the house of J Busby After the oral introduction, the festive part begins People visit museums, enjoy national dances and music, observe and even take part in traditional rites and rituals