New Zealand’s Waitangi Day

February 6 is Waitangi Day in New Zealand, a national holiday that commemorates the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi on that date in 1840. The Treaty of Waitangi made New Zealand part of the British Empire and gave the native Maori rights of British citizens including the right to vote and own land. (Like most treaties of that era, this one was upheld by some; ignored by others, a fact that some Maori residents protest to this day.)

Waitangi Day is marked by a 21-gun salute, the raising of the British colors, and a reenactment of the treaty signing in the North Island town of Waitangi. Elsewhere in New Zealand, the day is celebrated with Maori cultural festivals, concerts, and beach parties.

^{(photo credit: peppery/cc license)}