What time does Waitangi Day start?

The free festival at the Treaty Grounds starts at 5am with a Dawn Service in Te Whare Rūnanga (Carved Meeting House).

How do you celebrate Waitangi Day?

How to celebrate Waitangi Day

Go to a Waitangi Day ceremony or event.
Start tracing your whakapapa or family history.
Take the family along to your local library or museum to find out more about New Zealand’s history.
Read the Treaty of Waitangi and our comprehensive reference guide to the Treaty.

What does Waitangi mean in English?

There are several possible meanings for ‘Waitangi’ – it literally translates as ‘noisy or weeping water. ‘ Reed’s Place Names of New Zealand notes that the literal meaning of the Waitangi in the Bay of Islands may refer to the noise of Haruru Falls at the mouth of the Waitangi River.

What do they eat on Waitangi Day?

There will be HEAPS of food stalls, offering up everything from mussel fritters to watermelon ice cream, barbecue, chop suey, roast meat buns, fry bread, whitebait fritters, hāngī, raw fish, taniwha burgers… Oh and free watermelon all day long!

Do Māori people celebrate Waitangi Day?

Every year on 6 February, New Zealand marks the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840. For some people, Waitangi Day is a holiday; for many, and especially for Māori, it is the occasion for reflecting on the Treaty.

Why do Māori celebrate Waitangi Day?

Waitangi Day (Māori: Te Rā o Waitangi), the national day of New Zealand, marks the anniversary of the initial signing – on 6 February 1840 – of the Treaty of Waitangi, which is regarded as the founding document of the nation. Ceremonies take place at Waitangi and elsewhere to commemorate the signing of the treaty.

What do you say on Waitangi Day?

Get ready to say Kia Ora to everyone on Waitangi Day and perhaps celebrate in one of the following ways.

What food is NZ famous for?

While you’re in New Zealand, seek out a few of the following quintessential Kiwi foods and drinks.

Crayfish and seafood.
New Zealand lamb.
Hāngī – food cooked under the ground.
Fish and chips.
New Zealand wine, beer and other drinks.
Kiwi summer BBQ.
New Zealand pavlova and fruit salad.

What are the 3 P’s of the Treaty of Waitangi?

principles of partnership, participation and protection
The “3 Ps” comprise the well-established Crown Treaty framework – the principles of partnership, participation and protection.

Why is Waitangi Day special?

What is Māori food?

These crops included wheat, potatoes, maize, carrots, cabbage and other vegetables. Māori also began raising sheep, pigs, goats and poultry. Potatoes were easier to grow than kūmara, and pigs could be fattened quickly, so pork, pūhā and potatoes became a new staple meal.

When was the first official celebration of Waitangi Day?

A special hui (gathering) was held at Te Tii Marae and Waitangi in February 1934 to celebrate the formal handing over of the Bledisloe’s gift of land, with around 10,000 Māori from across New Zealand attending to honour and celebrate the gift. This became the first official celebration of Waitangi Day.

When is Waitangi Day at the Treaty Grounds?

On the 6 February the Treaty Grounds closes its buildings for the day and the grounds become the location for the Waitangi Day Festival. The free festival at the Treaty Grounds starts at 5am with a Dawn Service in Te Whare Rūnanga (Carved Meeting House).

When did Te Tiriti o Waitangi take place?

On February 6 the rangatira returned to the marquee at Waitangi, where over 40 signed the Māori version of the document, now known as Te Tiriti o Waitangi. By September 1840 over 500 leaders from throughout New Zealand had signed the document. The first Waitangi Day.

What to do with Kids on Waitangi Day?

Children’s activities include bouncy castles, kids racing cars and sports games. The events of 6 February 1840. Waitangi Day has been a significant day on New Zealand’s calendar since the Treaty of Waitangi was first signed in 1840.