the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840 between the Maori chiefs and the British Crown, headed by Queen Victoria.
Waitangi, located in the Bay of Islands, is the centre of the celebrations which are hosted by the Maori community at Te Tii Marae (the Marae is the traditional Maori community centre).
Launching the wakas at Waitangi, Bay of Islands on Waitangi Day
The focus of the celebrations is on the waterfront of the Waitangi Treaty Grounds where the historical Waka (Maori canoe) is launched every year and many other waka and traditional craft, as well as local boats and the New Zealand Navy join in the celebrations.
Freewind will be sailing past the fleet of boats and if you join us on our weekend trip you will have a unique opportunity to watch the events from the water.
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| A cultural mix on Waitangi Day, Bay of Islands: the NZ Navy, traditional sailing ship, and Maori canoe | Waka (traditional Maori canoe) at Waitangi Day celebrations, Bay of Islands |
The weather report is looking very good, so we are looking forward to a great weekend – a warm welcome and “Haere Mai” to all the dignitaries and many visitors who are coming to the Bay of Islands this weekend.
For information on sailing with Freewind, please check http://www.sailbayofislands.com/
For those in New Zealand, watching TV1, don't forget to tune in at 7 PM on Saturday (Feb. 5th) to Coasters, hosted by Al Brown. This week the programme featurs the Bay of Islands, the Russell Boat Club, and the tall ship R.Tucker Thompson (pictured above) at the Tall Ships Regatta. Read more here.
See you on the water!
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