Happy Waitangi Day!
For those of you who don't know, Waitangi Day is a national holiday in New Zealand (always held on February 6th) commemorating the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. This treaty (from a European perspective) made New Zealand a British colony, but the treaty itself is continually subject to controversy as many Maori feel that it does not adequately fulfill their rights as first descendants, while many Pakeha (European New Zealanders) feel that it gives the Maori too many privileges. For more information on the treaty and the day see Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Waitangi
Although I knew quite a bit about the holiday since completing a course on the Maori influence in the New Zealand school system, the day's festivities and present celebrations are all quite new to me.
Last night, as part of the celebration, the Canadian cohort (minus Chris, and with the addition of TJ) were lucky enough to attend Spark in the Park, a celebration of classical and contemporary music in Hagley Park (complete with a live orchestra) to bring in Waitangi Day with full on force. The concert was wicked, and special guest Dave Dobbyn (a bit like a Kiwi version of Bryan Adams) did a fabulous rendition of Hallelujah which brought a tear to my eye (especially when he got the children in the first row to sing along with him).
For those of you who don't know, Waitangi Day is a national holiday in New Zealand (always held on February 6th) commemorating the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. This treaty (from a European perspective) made New Zealand a British colony, but the treaty itself is continually subject to controversy as many Maori feel that it does not adequately fulfill their rights as first descendants, while many Pakeha (European New Zealanders) feel that it gives the Maori too many privileges. For more information on the treaty and the day see Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Waitangi
Although I knew quite a bit about the holiday since completing a course on the Maori influence in the New Zealand school system, the day's festivities and present celebrations are all quite new to me.
Last night, as part of the celebration, the Canadian cohort (minus Chris, and with the addition of TJ) were lucky enough to attend Spark in the Park, a celebration of classical and contemporary music in Hagley Park (complete with a live orchestra) to bring in Waitangi Day with full on force. The concert was wicked, and special guest Dave Dobbyn (a bit like a Kiwi version of Bryan Adams) did a fabulous rendition of Hallelujah which brought a tear to my eye (especially when he got the children in the first row to sing along with him).
The festival started off with a bunch of Christchurch youth doing a full-on choreographed act about recycling (the whistles that they used really added a trance-like flash 
to the performance), and were followed by the New Zealand Army marching band. The marching band was a pretty big deal for all the Kiwis and they did a really fab job.
to the performance), and were followed by the New Zealand Army marching band. The marching band was a pretty big deal for all the Kiwis and they did a really fab job. After that was underway, I was lucky to witness my very first live Haka, a Maori chant and dance that is used to open special ceremonies as well as at the beginning of every All Blacks Rugby game to sprout fear and intimidation in the eyes of their opponents. The Haka was very powerful and left me feeling in awe of the spirit that exists in this heaven-on-earth country.
The festival finished off with a massive display of fireworks in time to Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture. It was phenomenal, what a way to start off Waitangi Day!
Today I celebrated the rest of Waitangi Day with quite a bit more ease, as I took to the waves with a few other surfers in my household. We spent the first part of the day riding out the choppy waves, and were blessed with some larger waves and less life-threatening currents later on in the afternoon. I am happy to announce that I finally starting to improve and...am fully hooked on the sport! I think once back in Canada, I will have to relocate myself towards an ocean!
Tomorrow marks the first "real" day of school and I will finally get to meet all of my students so I am really pumped for that.
Until then, the evening is promising a farewell bar-b-que for TJ and some long awaited roof sits...
No comments:
Post a Comment