1970s: Kiwis have no idea when the Treaty of Waitangi was signed
August 30, 2018
By AHNZ
Look at this headline: “1944? Kiwis have no idea when the Treaty of Waitangi was signed” – NZ Herald, 2017
It’s a bit like saying Jesus didn’t celebrate Christmas. But how could he? It was a retro-spective invention after his time. So was this.
Waitangi Day isn’t an authentic, grass roots, event going back to 1840.
It was an invention of the 1970s¹, an institution created by the state. Much similar to how Sir Walter Scott invented Scottish identity. Nothing organic about it at all. So what this article must really be about is how some Kiwis never drank the cool aid! Or, that it has worn off. Good.
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1 The first Waitangi Day public holiday was in 1977 following legislation passed by National 3.0 the previous November. As a non-public holiday the sentiment was legislated for by Labour 2.0 in 1960
Image ref. M. King; British Empire
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