Hi my dear friends. Today we are going to know a bit more about New Zealand and its Waitangi Day.
Hola mis queridos amigos. Hoy vamos a saber un poco más sobre Nueza Zelanda y su Día Waitangi.
Info: Speak Up magazine
Photos: ABC.news / speakeasy.news. / easy.milano / speak.up / stuff / RNZ / holidays.calendar
WAITANGI DAY - A CELEBRATION OF NEW ZEALAND'S HISTORY
Waitangi Day is an annual public holiday celebrated in New Zealand / Aotearoa every 6 February. It commemorates the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840. Considered New Zealand's founding document, The Treaty of Waitangi was an agreement between Maori chiefs and representatives of the British Crown. It established the framework for a relationship between the government and Maori people and it continues to be a guide for the treatment of New Zealand's Maori population today.
EARLY ARRIVALS
The first European settlers to arrive in New Zealand were sealers and whalers, followed by missionaries and merchants. The merchants traded natural resources, such as flax and tinder, for guns, and clothing and other products with the local tribes. With the arival of multiple immigrant settlers, Maori chiefs sought to protect themselves by making alliances with the British.
FIVE HUNDRED CHIEFS
The Treaty of Waitangi is named after the site where the agreement was made, in the Bay of Islands in the country's far north. The document was originally signed by forty-three Maori chiefs, with more than five hundred chiefs across New Zealand adding their signatures over an eight month period. The treaty was written in both English and Maori. However, differences in its translation led to misunderstandings about the promises it made. This caused serious disagreements over its terms.
COLONIAL CULTURE
Well into the 20th century, Maori felt pressured to assimilate into the colonial culture while struggling to preserve their own traditions. Since the 1950s, Maori have taken a firmer stance to defend their rights. The first oficial commemoration of Waitangi Day took place in 1934 but it only became a public holiday in 1974. While for many it is a celebration, for Maori it can be a day of sadness or outrage at more than a century of colonial plunder and oppression. Today, many Maori use the day to grieve the loss of their land, language and culture. Increasingly,though, Waitangi Day also represents hope for greater understandimg and unity.
PRESENT AND FUTURE
Waitangi Day commemorates the past and the present, and looks forward to the future. It highlights ongoing efforts to honour Maori heritage, ensuring they thrive for generations to come. As New Zealand grows as a diverse society, Waitangi Day remains a powerful reminder of the nation's identity and the shared commitment to honouring its founding document.
VOCABULARY
-TREATY: tratado / -FRAMEWORK: marco / -SETTLERS: colonos / -SEALERS: cazadores de focas / -WHALERS: balleneros / -FLAX: lino / -TINDER: leña / -STANCE: postura / -OUTRAGE: indignación / -PLUNDER: expolio / -TO GRIEVE: lamentar / -ONGOING: en curso / -TO THRIVE: prosperar / -REMINDER: recordatorio / -COMMITMENT: compromiso
