FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENTNew Zealand Waitangi Day
Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
February 5, 2013
On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I send congratulations and best wishes to the people of New Zealand as you commemorate the February 6 anniversary of the Treaty of Waitangi, or Te Tiriti o Waitangi. This is an opportunity to reflect both upon New Zealand’s unique culture and diverse heritage and to celebrate the promise of the future as new generations carry on your rich traditions.
The United States and New Zealand share a strong and enduring friendship, which has continued to deepen since we first established diplomatic relations in 1942. Our countries share a commitment to work together to bring peace, stability, and sustainability to the Pacific region and beyond.
As New Zealanders around the world come together to celebrate, I wish you a happy Waitangi Day, and a prosperous and successful year.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM CIA WORLD FACTBOOK
The Polynesian Maori reached New Zealand in about A.D. 800. In 1840, their chieftains entered into a compact with Britain, the Treaty of Waitangi, in which they ceded sovereignty to Queen Victoria while retaining territorial rights. In that same year, the British began the first organized colonial settlement. A series of land wars between 1843 and 1872 ended with the defeat of the native peoples. The British colony of New Zealand became an independent dominion in 1907 and supported the UK militarily in both world wars. New Zealand's full participation in a number of defense alliances lapsed by the 1980s. In recent years, the government has sought to address longstanding Maori grievances.
