Waitangi
After staying for a night in Paihia, I spent the first part of my last full day in New Zealand driving a couple of kilometers up to neighbouring Waitangi, the site of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi (between the British and Maori), which is to New Zealand what the Declaration of Independence is to the United States, learning a lot of cool history, and seeing some beautiful Maori art and woodwork
December 19, 2004

01-HaruruFalls On Sunday, December 19, 2004, my last full day in New Zealand, I spent most of the day in the Bay of Islands region, staying the night before at a hostel in Paihia, the gateway city to the Bay of Islands, and the neighbouring town of Waitangi a mile to the north ... this is Haruru Falls, between Paihia and Waitangi 02-HaruruFalls Haruru Falls 03-HaruruFalls Haruru Falls 04-TreatyOfWaitangi-Maori The Treaty of Waitangi, signed in 1840 by the British and almost all the Maori tribes, which essentially signified the start of New Zealand as a nation 05-WaitangiTreatyGrounds Waitangi Treaty Grounds 06-KauriStump An enormous kauri stump ... kauri are very large trees native to New Zealand 07-KauriStump This giant kauri stump is from the tree that was used in 1940 to make . . . 08-MaoriWaka . . . this, the largest Maori War Canoe (Waka) in existence ... it was made in 1940 for the centennial celebration of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi 09-WakaNgatokimatawhaorua The name of this war canoe is Waka Ngatokimatawhaorua ... it could transport 180 warriors 10-WakaDetail A close-up of some of the carving on the waka 11-MaoriWarCanoe Maori war canoe 12-WakaProw Prow of the waka 13-Oars Oars for the war canoe, though they served multiple purposes: paddling through water, deadly sharp clubs/spears in battle, and one other purpose I don't recall off-hand 14-Waka Waka 15-Pohutakawa Pohukatawa, the North Island Christmas Tree 16-CanoeHouseCarving Carving on the canoe house at Waitangi 17-CanoeHouse Canoe house 18-CarvingDetail Detail of the carving ... I love Maori art, it reminds me of a combination between Celtic and Aztec art 19-CarvingDetail Maori carving ... the portruding tongues of warriors are ubiquitous in Maori art 20-BayOfIslands Bay of Islands, as viewed from the Waitangi Treaty Grounds 21-HobsonsBeach Hobson's Beach 22-BayOfIslands Bay of Islands 23-HobsonsBeachSign Hobson's Beach sign 24-BayOfIslands Bay of Islands 25-Flagstaff Flagstaff, on the Waitangi Treaty Grounds 26-Flagstaff Flagstaff, marking the spot where the Treaty was signed 27-TreatyHouseGardens Treaty House gardens 28-WaitangiTreatyHouse Waitangi Treaty House 29-TeWhareRunanga Te Whare Runanga, a traditional Maori meeting house, on the Treaty Grounds 30-WhareInterior Whare interior 31-TeWhareRunanga Te Whare Runanga 32-Carving Maori carving inside the whare 33-Tukutuku Tukutuku is the geometric thatch design of the Maori 34-MaoriCarvings Maori carvings 35-TeWhareRunanga Te Whare Runanga 36-WaitangiTreatyGrounds Waitangi Treaty Grounds

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