What was Waitangi Day briefly renamed as in the 1970s?
New Zealand Day
Waitangi Day, a public holiday from 1974, briefly became New Zealand Day in the 1970s. Increasingly, it became a focus for Māori protest activities. The 1980s brought changes in the way Waitangi Day was marked officially, as well as growing Māori protest.
Has Waitangi Day been celebrated since 1974?
The day was first officially commemorated in 1934, and it has been a public holiday since 1974. For some people, Waitangi Day is a holiday; for many, and especially for Māori, it is the occasion for reflecting on the Treaty.
What was happening in NZ 1960s?
Other 1960 events Following a magnitude 9.5 earthquake off the coast of Chile (the most powerful earthquake of the 20th century) tsunami waves struck New Zealand’s east coast in the late evening and early morning of 23/24 May.
Why has Waitangi Day been controversial in the past?
Activists initially called for greater recognition of the treaty, but by the early 1980s, they were also arguing that it was a fraud and the means by which Pākehā had conned Māori out of their land. Attempts were made by groups, including the Waitangi Action Committee, to halt the commemorations.
What happened in 1970s Treaty of Waitangi?
1970 Nga Tamatoa formed This gave a new and radical edge to Māori protest in its calls for the Treaty of Waitangi to be ratified. It used many ways to raise awareness of matters vital to Māori, including nationwide petitions to have the Māori language taught in schools and submissions on government policy.
What year did Waitangi Day start?
1934
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.
Who started Waitangi Day?
The first official celebrations of the Treaty of Waitangi were held at Waitangi in 1934. This was two years after Governor-General Lord Bledisloe gifted the Treaty House and grounds to New Zealand, with the vision that the site would become a national memorial.