Do the Kiwi's have a day like Australia Day

[Stormbird262]

Just wondered if you Kiwi's have a day like our Oz day .

If so is it on the date of when the treaty was signed .

Cheer's all ;D., Tally Ho! Ho! Phil .

[Dave Homewood]

Yes, it's February 6th and called Waitangi Day.

[Stormbird262]

Thank's Dave .

Is it something most Mauri's celibrate as well ,

As some of the native's here, I have met of the year's sometime's call our day Invasion Day .

Is it a really big bash over there on that day .

Cheer's all ;D, Tally Ho! Ho! Phil .(p.s. any spare Heinnie's rocket's going cheap )

[Dave Homewood]

I assume you mean Maoris?

Most people in NZ treat Waitangi Day as simpoly a day off work, like Labour Day and Queen's Birthaday. We don't 'do' anything.

However every Maori activist and politician around makes their way to Waitangi, in the far north of NZ, where they try to make a political statement that the rest of the country ignores. Usually it ends up in scuffles, some years near-riots with the police. This year however, with the new Maori Polotcal Party present they were surprisingly placid and no violence was seen, because the activists are all trying to look civilised so they'll be voted into Parliament at the next election.

The natives of your country have every right to be angry I feel after the way they have been treated for so long. Some of the argument here too is valid, but not all. The problems here with the Treaty of Waitangi all stems from one person, the translator who wrote out both versions of the treaty used about three ambiguous words that the Maoris interpret differently from how he meant them. I find it amazing that no-one at the time picked up on it and queried it - there were plenty of Maoris by 1840 who could read and speak English and could have compared both treaties before they signed. Another problem stems from the fact that the Maori Treaty had an extra clause added that was purely an oral agreement. At the time everyone was happy about this, but of course later the new bods using hindsight didn't have a written document so try to double guess what was said and agreed to. One of the stupidist mistakes in law I feel. Always get it in writing.
I hope this explains it sufficiently Phil.

[steve]

Waitangi day should be remain as a national holiday and a new NEW ZEALAND DAY established on either Dominion Day (a lawyers holiday celebrating dominion status from colony) ...whatever...maybe we transfer "fire works"(GF) day at the same time and have truely a celebration occasion apreciating our great country and peoples?

[Dave Homewood]

I have grown a real discomfort to people having fireworks in recent years. Every year there are more and more fires and accidents. I seriously thing the event of Guy Fawkes should be banned. Afetr all, what does it mean to Kiwis? Nothing. The attempt to blow up the British Parliament happened long before New Zealand was established. We all admire Guy Fawkes for taking a stand, yes. We need more people like him today. But I think you're onto a winner there Steve, transfer the event to Dominion Day, and ban the fireworks from public ale. The large scale events run by professionals are much better and safer, and it means people aren't wasting millions on fizzers from the Warehouse too.

[Bruce]

Would be worth celebrating a day when someone sucessfully blew up our parliment....

[corsair67]

Bruce, lucky you're not in Australia as ASIO would probably be around to your house in five seconds flat if you said that here!

Canberra is generally pretty quiet; although we did have a nutter drive a Pajero through the front doors of Parliament House back in about 1992! Even today it is still possible to see the marks in the floor of the Great Hall where a small metal bollard was dragged along underneath the Pajero!