Waitangi Day
In London, United Kingdom, which has one of the largest New Zealand expatriate populations, a tradition has arisen in recent years to celebrate Waitangi Day. On the closest Saturday to 6 February, Kiwis participate in a pub crawl using the London Underground's Circle Line. Although the stated aim is to consume one drink at each of the 27 stops, most participants stop at a handful of stations, usually beginning at Paddington and moving anti-clockwise towards Temple. At 4 p.m., a large-scale haka is performed at Parliament Square as Big Ben marks the hour. Participants wear costumes and sing songs such as "God Defend New Zealand", all of which is in stark contrast to the much more subdued observance of the day in New Zealand itself.[citation needed]
In many other countries with a New Zealand expatriate population, Waitangi Day is celebrated privately. The day is officially celebrated by all New Zealand embassies and High Commissions.
On Waitangi Day 2007, Air New Zealand commissioned a number of New Zealanders living in Los Angeles and Southern California on Waitangi Day to create a sand sculpture of a silver fern on the Santa Monica Beach creating a stir in the surrounding area, and even having a news item broadcast on a local TV Channel, with the presenter pronouncing Waitangi Day, Wai-tan-jeeee Day [4]
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See also
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References
- ^ Waitangi Day at nzhistory.net.nz: http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/node/972
- ^ Hazlehurst, Kayleen M. (1995), ‘Ethnicity, Ideology and Social Drama: The Waitangi Day Incident 1981’ in Alisdair Rogers and Steven Vertovec, eds, The Urban Context: Ethnicity, Social Networks and Situational Analysis, Oxford and Washington D.C., p.83; Walker, Ranginui (1990), Ka Whawhai Tonu Matou: Struggle without End, Auckland, p.221.
- ^ United Future press release, 5 February 2007: http://www.unitedfuture.org.nz/press/show_item.php?t=0&i=1540
- ^ YouTube - Waitangi Day in Los Angeles
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External links
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