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.

How long was Waitangi Day called New Zealand day?

The national holiday on 6 February was established in 1974 by the Labour Party and was called New Zealand Day. Two years later, the National government changed the name to Waitangi Day, and it’s been an important date on New Zealand calendars ever since.

What was Waitangi Day renamed in 1973?

In 1973 the New Zealand Day Act made the day a public holiday and renamed it New Zealand Day, and also abolished the Waitangi Day Act 1960. Many Māori felt that the new name drew attention away from the Treaty of Waitangi, and campaigned for the name to be changed back.

When did Waitangi Day become Mondayised?

2013
In New Zealand there are two types of national public holidays: those that are “Mondayised” and those that are not. Christmas Day and New Years’ Day have always been Mondayised holidays, and from 2013 Waitangi Day and Anzac Day are also Mondayised.

What has Waitangi Day become to some people since the 1970’s?

For some people, Waitangi Day is a holiday; for many, and especially for Māori, it is the occasion for reflecting on the Treaty. Since the 1970s the style and mood of the commemorations on Waitangi Day have been influenced by the increasingly heated debate surrounding the place of the Treaty in modern New Zealand.

When did the Treaty of Waitangi get signed?

6 February 1840
On 6 February 1840, the Treaty of Waitangi/Te Tiriti o Waitangi was signed at Waitangi in the Bay of Islands by Captain William Hobson, several English residents, and between 43 and 46 Māori rangatira.

Who invented Waitangi Day?

The first official celebrations of the Treaty of Waitangi were held at Waitangi in 1934. This was two years after Governor-General Lord Bledisloe gifted the Treaty House and grounds to New Zealand, with the vision that the site would become a national memorial.

How did Waitangi get its name?

The Treaty in brief The Treaty of Waitangi is New Zealand’s founding document. It takes its name from the place in the Bay of Islands where it was first signed, on 6 February 1840. The Treaty is an agreement, in Māori and English, that was made between the British Crown and about 540 Māori rangatira (chiefs).

What happened Waitangi 1970?

Page 5 – Waitangi Day 1970s. The 1970s brought major changes for Waitangi Day. The day finally became a public holiday. Increasingly, it also became the focus of growing Māori protest about the status of the Treaty of Waitangi and issues of race.

What happened in 1970s Treaty of Waitangi?

1970 Nga Tamatoa formed This gave a new and radical edge to Māori protest in its calls for the Treaty of Waitangi to be ratified. It used many ways to raise awareness of matters vital to Māori, including nationwide petitions to have the Māori language taught in schools and submissions on government policy.

When were NZ public holidays Mondayised?

This coming Monday, 27 April will be the first ‘Mondayised’ public holiday under the Holidays (Full Recognition of Waitangi Day and ANZAC Day) Amendment Act 2013.

When did New Zealand get freedom?

1947
In this sense, 1947 can be said to mark the date of New Zealand’s legal independence.

When did Māori stop slavery?

1840
The Treaty of Waitangi, 1840, outlawed the taking of slaves, and made all Māori British citizens, but did not affect pre-Treaty arrangements. Christianity preached the equality of all before God and some slaves were freed as a result.

What happened Waitangi Day 1840?

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.

How old is the Treaty of Waitangi?

Page 1 – Introduction. The Treaty of Waitangi is New Zealand’s founding document. It takes its name from the place in the Bay of Islands where it was first signed, on 6 February 1840. This day is now a public holiday in New Zealand.

Why did the 1975 land march happen?

In the early 1970s, growing Māori anger over land alienation led to activism. In the 1975 hīkoi (‘stepping out’), protesters marched from Northland to Wellington to ask the government to halt further losses of Māori land. Here they walk past Porirua towards their final destination, Parliament.

When was the Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975 amended?

1988 Amendment (State Enterprises) This amendment came about following a court case in which the government was found to be ignoring the principles of the Treaty by attempting to sell state-owned land which might be subject to Treaty claims.

What happens if Waitangi Day falls on a weekend?

For example, if Waitangi Day is on a Sunday then the Monday is treated as a public holiday (Waitangi Day is “observed” on the Monday.) In general, if a public holiday falls on a day you normally work, you are entitled to a paid day off.

Is Waitangi Day a statutory holiday?

Instead, the Waitangi Day Act was passed in 1960 which made it possible for a local region to substitute Waitangi Day as an alternative to an existing public holiday. In 1973, legislation was passed to recognise this date as a nation-wide public holiday to commemorate the signing of te Tiriti.

When was the first Waitangi Day?

This event is considered to be the first Waitangi Day. In 1940, another event was held at the grounds, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the treaty signing. The event was a success and helped raise the profile of the treaty and its day of observance in the national consciousness. Annual commemorations of the treaty signing began in 1947.

How is the Treaty of Waitangi celebrated in New Zealand?

In present-day New Zealand, the anniversary is observed annually on 6 February and the day is usually recognised as a public holiday (unless the date falls on a Saturday or Sunday, when the Monday that immediately follows becomes the public holiday). Ceremonies take place at Waitangi and elsewhere to commemorate the signing of the treaty.

What is Waitangi Day and Anzac Day?

The Act meant that Waitangi Day and ANZAC Day would be ‘Mondayised’ if the date for the national holiday fell on a weekend in any given year. With many New Zealanders taking advantage of Waitangi Day to enjoy a long weekend, it’s important to remember the meaning behind the celebration itself – the Treaty of Waitangi.

Why did the Queen visit Waitangi in 1963?

Royal visits continued to play an important part in developing public sentiment for and attachment to Waitangi. The 1963 visit was arranged so that the Queen arrived on the Britanniafrom Fiji, first stepping onto New Zealand soil at Waitangi. Speeches made much of the harmony between the two races.