Every year on 6 February,
New Zealand marks the signing of
the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840. In that year, representatives of the British Crown and over 500 Māori chiefs signed what is often considered to be New Zealand's founding document.
When did NZ day become Waitangi Day?
The Waitangi Day Act
1960
declared 6 February to be Waitangi Day; a national day of thanksgiving in commemoration of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. Waitangi Day, a public holiday from 1974, briefly became New Zealand Day in the 1970s. Increasingly, it became a focus for Māori protest activities.
What important events happened in NZ in 1840?
1840 is considered a watershed year in the history of New Zealand:
The Treaty of Waitangi is signed
, British sovereignty over New Zealand is proclaimed, organised European settlement begins, and Auckland and Wellington are both founded.
What happened to the Maori Land Between the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi and 1975?
The
land
was lost through a combination of private and Government purchases, outright confiscation, and Native
Land
Court practices that made it difficult for
Māori
to maintain their
land
under traditional ownership structures. There were some purchases of
Māori land
made before the
Treaty
was signed.
What happened on the day the Treaty of Waitangi was signed?
6 February 1840
More than 40 Māori chiefs
signed a treaty with the British Crown in the Bay of Islands. The Treaty of Waitangi remains controversial. … Missionary Henry Williams and his son Edward translated the English draft into Māori on the night of 4 February.
Who controlled New Zealand in 1840?
On 21 May 1840 Hobson proclaimed
British
sovereignty over all of New Zealand – over the North Island on the basis of cession through the Treaty of Waitangi, and over the southern islands by ‘right of discovery'. Signatures to the Treaty were still being sought.
Who is the most famous New Zealander?
- Lorde. Kicking off our list of famous New Zealanders is Lorde. …
- Russell Crowe. The world-famous Gladiator was born in Wellington, New Zealand's capital city. …
- Peter Jackson. …
- Sonny Bill Williams. …
- Taika Waititi. …
- Keith Urban. …
- Flight of the Conchords. …
- Cliff Curtis.
Why is Waitangi Day special?
| Waitangi Day | Traditional celebrations at Waitangi | Observed by New Zealanders | Type National | Significance Commemorates the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, regarded as the nation's founding document |
|---|
What are the 3 principles of the Treaty of Waitangi?
The “3 Ps” – out with the old
The “3 Ps” comprise the well-established Crown Treaty framework – the
principles of partnership, participation and protection
. They came out of the Royal Commission on Social Policy in 1986.
Why did the British want New Zealand?
Britain was motivated by
the desire to forestall the New Zealand Company and other European powers
(France established a very small settlement at Akaroa in the South Island later in 1840), to facilitate settlement by British subjects and, possibly, to end the lawlessness of European (predominantly British and American) …
How much land do Māori own now?
Today almost all Māori land is Māori freehold land. There are
about 1.47 million hectares
of Māori freehold land, which makes up roughly five percent of all land in Aotearoa.
Does the Crown own Māori land?
Māori Customary Land
has not been acquired by the Crown
.
What does the Treaty of Waitangi mean to Māori?
The Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840 and was
an agreement between the British Crown and a large number of Māori chiefs
. Today the Treaty is widely accepted to be a constitutional document that establishes and guides the relationship between the Crown in New Zealand (embodied by our government) and Māori.
Why is the Treaty of Waitangi so important?
Why the Treaty is important
The Treaty
governs the relationship between Māori
– the tangata whenua (indigenous people) – and everyone else, and ensures the rights of both Māori and Pakeha (non-Māori) are protected. It does that by: … requiring the Government to act reasonably and in good faith towards Māori.
Why did the chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi?
Reasons why chiefs signed the treaty included
wanting controls on sales of Māori land to Europeans, and on European settlers
. They also wanted to trade with Europeans, and believed the new relationship with Britain would stop fighting between tribes.
Did James Busby signed the Treaty of Waitangi?
After the arrival of William Hobson in 1840, Busby co-authored with him the Treaty of Waitangi. It was
first signed on 5 and 6 February 1840 on the lawn outside his residence
.
