Waitangi

The obligatory shot of the Treaty of Waitangi. Unfortunately, this is not the actual document. The actual document is not actually at the Waitangi Treaty grounds (I think it's in the National Archives in Wellington); this is just a photocopy.

One of the wakas (canoes) that goes out on the water on Waitangi Day. This one was built specifically to celebrate the Treaty, and on Waitangi Day it is joined by wakas from all over the country and sometimes from other Pacific islands. Wakas are extremely impressive, in large part because of their massive size. A couple years ago, Geneva's brother came over to San Francisco and they brought some wakas with them and sailed them under the Golden Gate bridge. I really can't figure out how they got the wakas from New Zealand to San Francisco. It's not like you can take one on the plane.

The Kauri tree that the above waka was carved from. Big tree=big waka, eh?

The whare runanga (meeting house) on the treaty grounds.

Looking out into the Bay of Islands, which is surrounded by Waitangi, Paihia, and Russell. I'm not sure how it's possible, but apparently this area was once known as "the Hellhole of the Pacific." Come on 18th/19th Century Europeans, weren't they still throwing sewage in the streets in Europe at the time when you first landed here? You're really calling this a hellhole?


The resort we stayed at in Waitangi. Geneva planned our schedule for the weekend around staying here, just because she likes the place.