# Waitangi Day **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 6, 2008, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waitangi-day/436538 "2008-02-06T16:33:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2008, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waitangi-day/436538/1 "2008-02-06T16:33:34Z")
According to the company calendar, today is Waitangi Day down in New Zealand. (Why they put it on the calendar is a mystery. But then, they often note things on it that have nothing to do with the company.) So Enzeds, enjoy your day! ---
**Author:** ![jali](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecae2f/32.png) [@jali](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jali)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2008, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waitangi-day/436538/2 "2008-02-06T16:38:11Z")
OMG! Happy Waitangi Day. This IS the abbreviation for Waiting to Exhale Day… right? Okay, just a way to work my “exhale” relationship into the conversation. (grinning) ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2008, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waitangi-day/436538/3 "2008-02-06T16:44:01Z")
Hmmm… so a British company which does business in the U.S. should not note the Fourth of July on their corporate calendar? It’s pretty much a parallel… Waitangi Day is the national holiday of New Zealand, parallel to Canada Day, U.S. Independence Day, etc. It commemorates the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, under which New Zealand became part of the British Empire and the Maori were recognized as equal citizens with the European colonists in the formation of the colony \> dominion \> nation. (That’s not a bad concept to celebrate even if you don’t give two hoots about New Zealand.) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2008, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waitangi-day/436538/4 "2008-02-06T17:20:27Z")
[QUOTE=Polycarp] Hmmm… so a British company which does business in the U.S. should not note the Fourth of July on their corporate calendar? [/QUOTE] Except I no longer work for the British-owned company, and this company has no dealings whatsoever with NZ. Not that I’m complaining Waitangi Day is on our calendar! I think it’s neat. ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2008, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waitangi-day/436538/5 "2008-02-06T18:11:38Z")
Don’t you just love the word Waitangi? I think the New Zelanders invented that day just so they can go around saying that word. WAITANGI ! ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2008, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waitangi-day/436538/6 "2008-02-06T20:39:30Z")
Waitangi Day is also noted on my calendar. Cool! 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![maggenpye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@maggenpye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maggenpye)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2008, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waitangi-day/436538/7 "2008-02-06T20:45:28Z")
Thanks, it was a good day. The protests and celebrations were made by the appropriate groups. The usual suspects made their usual political points and the rest of us had picnics, or at least the day off work. Someone is organising a London pub crawl for Ex-pat kiwis at the weekend, any Brit based kiwis out there? ---
**Author:** ![Skara\_Brae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Skara\_Brae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skara_Brae)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2008, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waitangi-day/436538/8 "2008-02-06T20:54:22Z")
This week is just chock full of holidays, according to my calender. Monday was the Nelson Anniversary Tuesday was Mardi Gras Wednesday is both Ash Wednesday and Waitangi Day Thursday is the Chinese New Year (Rat) Friday is nothing Saturday is the 3rd Day of the Chinese New Year (??? - Is there something special about this?) Sunday is the first Sunday of Lent Full week, everyone! =) ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2008, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waitangi-day/436538/9 "2008-02-06T22:08:04Z")
[QUOTE=furryman] Don’t you just love the word Waitangi? I think the New Zelanders invented that day just so they can go around saying that word. WAITANGI ! [/QUOTE] It’s like Zimbabwe. Or banana. Happy belated Waitangi day! ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2008, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waitangi-day/436538/10 "2008-02-06T22:48:08Z")
Just to point out, the 23rd is the Feast of St. Polycarp (my martyred-bishop namesake that is).