Sunday, February 8, 2009

New Zealand: Waitangi Day 2009: Greetings and Speeches












Whaikorero — Speeches of Welcome

The VIPs go up the stage , mihimihi/greetings and whaikorero /speeches were made. The Governor General representing the Queen, charmed the hearts of many by sending his greetings in Maori, English, Samoan, Tongan, Tukolu and other Polynesian languages.

The audience sat in a semi circle and listened. The Treaty of Waitangi was explained. Among the crowds, I saw lots of tourists and people of different ethnicity.
After the solemn ceremony, it was time to party. Eight bands played including Kiwi favourites House of Shem, Open Souls, Tahuna Breaks, Sons of Zion and the come back of The Herbs who had not played at Okahu Bay for twenty years.
For the children, there were festivities like the giant slide, bouncy castles, drop towers and farm animals.
There were plenty of Kai/food, traditional and modern food. I will post them in future posts.

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