Today is Waitangi Day, named after the place the Waitangi Treaty was signed between the Māori and the British Empire in 1840. The treaty made New Zealand a part of the British Empire, guaranteed Māori rights to their land and gave Māori the rights of British subjects. I took this photo on the Waitangi Treaty Grounds and the flagstaff marks the spot where the treaty was signed. In the background you can see two naval ships to represent the British presence. The Māori are represented by waka (war canoes). I visited the grounds on February 5th 2015, a day before the celebrations. When I planned my trip, I hadn’t really thought about this, so I wished I could have stayed another day!
Alive and Trekking 