Waitangi, New Zealand's birth place and Maori legend
Waitangi Visitor Centre and Treaty House is a place hugely symbolic as it is quintessentially the birth place of the modern New Zealand. It was on these grounds, on 6th February 1840, that the Treaty of Waitangi was signed by the Queens representative William Hobson and over forty North Island Maori Chiefs. It was and still is shrouded in controversy as two versions were actually signed – one in English and one in Maori – and they were each understood to mean different things. Despite this the Treaty of Waitangi was New Zealand’s founding document and is still widely referred to even today. Indeed the 6th February remains a national holiday. Being a bit of an historian I found exploring Waitangi fascinating. There is nothing really to compare with actually being on the spot where history was made. It is a place of particular significance to Maori and the museum here focuses on their fascinating and captivating story. Equally impressive is the huge Waka (Maori War canoe) that is displayed at the grounds. Thirty five metres in length makes it the largest in the world and it was constructed from two giant Kauri tree. Its takes 80 warriors to paddle and it can be seen on out the water on Waitangi day each year.