Letters

 

Outside our local store "The Warehouse" there were some workmen seemingly adding additions to the signage on the front, not sure what they were adding as I couldn't get close enough to see. 

In the top photo there was another customer walking in next to me, he was carrying a reusable bag which are popular here ever since plastic carry bags were banned over 5 years ago. I remember when the Labour government back then banned them and you would've thought it was World War 3 the way people behaved about it, not everyone was happy. Now, very few people like plastic here.

With Waitangi Day here tomorrow, people are getting ready to congregate at Paihia in the far north. I've never attended one of these events but it is an important day for people to recognize the signing of the treaty between Maori chiefs and Pakeha (white people) nearly 200 years ago, although alot of racist people would rather assume it never happened.

Linking up with Skywatch Friday and Tom's Signs.

Bird on a sign

 

This sign made me smile last time we were in Taupo. It seems this Black Billed Gull was taking it literally. 

Today is Waitangi Day in Aotearoa New Zealand. It commemorates February 6th 1840 when an agreement to co-govern was reached between Maori and Pakeha.  I have the day off as it is a public holiday.

This movie might help to explain the foundations of the day: 

Sadly at the moment our country is in such disarray with the 3 parties that were elected into parliament who are now trying to change the treaty to suit their own opinions. I don't understand why all our world leaders and people can't work together for unity.

Linking up with Skywatch Friday and Tom's signs.

Waitangi Day 2021

February 6th was our national Waitangi Day. Now if you're not familiar with this day it basically commemorates the day that a treaty was signed between the British and Maori tribes of New Zealand. When I was growing up at school I remember being taught a very clean version of the events that happened, it wasn't  until we moved up to the far north region that we started to find out that there was alot more to learn that we didn't know.

Last time we were at Waitangi was with my parents just after Christmas Day and while we were waiting to enter the meeting house the performance crew was having photos taken with visitors/tourist/kiwis etc, I was able to get this shot. 

This is our prime minister Jacinda Arden speaking on the Waitangi morning where she and other ministers served breakfast to the people before attending a hui.

And if you want to know more about our Waitangi Day, the clip above is a good representation of the events that transpired on the 6th February 1840.

Linking up with Our World Tuesday, Through my lens, Tuesday Treasures, My Corner of the World, Wordless Wednesday.

Te Tiriti o Waitangi

Today for us is national Waitangi Day which remembers the day the treaty was signed between the Europeans and the Maoris.

This marae located in Paihia was opened in 1922 replacing the original 1881 building, I'm not sure what happened to the earlier one. The land next to it was where the Declaration of Independence of New Zealand (treaty) was signed on 28 October 1835. 5 years later 300 more chiefs sat on the same spot to debate the treaty and signed it on 6 February 1840 at the home of British immigrant James Busby now known as the Waitangi Trust including the museum.

When I was going through the public school system in the 1970s and 1980s I remember being taught the basics of the treaty but when we visited this spot and the museum last Spring it was a truly eye opening experience. We walked out of there feeling quite humble - if you haven't visited the museum I urge you to as it really is well worth it. This year we are very thankful that NZ is the country it is today, we still have many improvements to make in the process of being more accepting of each other but it's good to be a Kiwi.

Linking up with Skywatch Friday.

Maharahia te ra tatangi!

Today is Waitangi Day here in New Zealand. As a nation we celebrate the day the treaty was founded which was an agreement made between representatives of the British Crown and more than 500 chiefs in 1840. This house belonged to James Busby, who co-authored the treaty with William Hobson has been well restored and is on the Heritage NZ list as a category 1 listed building.

The treaty however had different connotations and meanings for both Maori and European back then and from what I've come to know is that many chiefs did not truly understand the ramifications of what they were signing. It was created to be an agreement between both cultures and to bring the country to unity, however many breaches of it by different governments over the years have caused anger and strife - the more I've learned the more I've understood why many people are up in arms over it.

Wind surfers at Mangawhai Estuary on Waitangi Day

One of my stormy day shots from back in February - think this was on Waitangi Day. A huge gathering of kite surfers, wind surfers and other sports people were enjoying themselves on the Mangawhai estuary down by the Lincoln Street reserve. Was hard to pin this one down though because of the fast speed it was going.