Waitangi Day - our 'national' day??

Today being the 6th of February is Waitangi Day. It’s the day we celebrate the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, which essentially is New Zealand’s founding document. So in essence Waitangi Day is actually our country’s national day. But I’m afraid to most New Zealanders Waitangi Day is not a celebration of our country – it’s just a day of protests. I think we must be the only country in the world not to have a proper national day!

I reckon many New Zealanders don’t give a damn about Waitangi Day and what it signifies – it’s just a day off for most people! The main celebrations just happen at Waitangi in the far north and not much else happens elsewhere around the country, and the celebrations at Waitangi are usually marred by controversy and protest. Here are some examples of what has happened in recent years:

2000 - Because of the level of protest that had previously occurred at Waitangi, the previous Prime Minister Helen Clark did not attend
2001 - The official celebrations were shifted from Waitangi to Wellington
2004 - Leader of the Opposition Don Brash was hit with mud as he entered the marae, and protesters succeeded in flying the Māori separatist flag above the other flags on the flagstaff by flying it from the top of a nearby tree.
2009 – As Prime Minister John Key was being escorted onto a marae, he was accosted by Wikitana and John Junior Popata, nephews of Maori Party MP Hone Harawira. Both admitted to assault and were sentenced to 100 hours of community service.
2011 - Wikitana and John again heckled Key as he entered the marae!

Good grief! This sort of thing should not be happening on our national day! No wonder many New Zealanders don’t care about this day anymore!

I spent a couple of years in Australia and Australia Day is a very important day over there. There are many, many events around the country which people participate in. And of course Independence Day in the United States is huge! Why can’t we have a day like this in New Zealand to celebrate our country – or don’t we care about our country?

In my church we are encouraged to be patriotic about our country. I remember in Australia on Australia Day and Anzac Day (or the closest Sunday to it) the national anthem was sung at church and the country flag was hung in the chapel. And in the States for the 4th of July celebrations at church are huge. But here in New Zealand Waitangi Day and Anzac Day are not mentioned at all in church. I'm not blaming anyone - it's just sad.

Another problem with these two holidays is if they fall on a weekend (or the same day as another holiday). Last year Waitangi Day was a Saturday and Anzac Day was a Sunday, so did we get the Monday off as we missed out on a holiday – of course not! The same thing happens this year – Waitangi Day on a Sunday and Anzac Day on Easter Monday. I know for a fact if Australia Day is on a weekend day then the Monday will automatically be a holiday. What is wrong with this country?? But we get extra statutory holidays at Christmas and New Year if they fall on weekends, so why not for Waitangi Day and Anzac Day when it really matters – it doesn’t make sense.

So in conclusion New Zealand needs a proper national day. Whether it be Waitangi Day or Anzac Day or some other day it needs to be a day we can all be proud of as New Zealanders! (By the way, Waitangi Day was called New Zealand Day for a couple of years back in the 1970s but was changed back due to protests – typical!)