Well, look at the picture. Actually, it was named by the famous Captain Cook. He sailed into the bay, and was surrounded by countless islands. This is a beautiful place. Oh, by the way, we are in New Zealand for the next two days.
Bay of Islands has an interesting history. It is here that New Zealand became part of the British Empire in 1840. But that’s getting ahead of the story. So that’ what he named it. Briefly here’s the history of Bay of Islands.
The British began coming to the area as colonists in the Eighteenth Century. They were a mixed band of missionaries, investors, adventure-seekers, and convicts who had served their sentences in Australian prisons. As they settled, they encountered friendly native people, who had been living on the land for 500 – 700 years by then. It is believed that New Zealand is the last major land mass to be inhabited by humans. The natives called the British, “pakeha”, which means “white strangers”; and they called themselves “maori”, which means “ordinary people”. The British thought that “Maori” was the name of their tribe, and that name stuck. Now everybody calls native New Zelanders “Maori”.
The Maori were actually from a lot of different tribes, and they were constantly at war. These wars didn’t do as much damage as you might think because they only had spear and stone axes for weapons. This kept their tribal disputes going on forever and ever. Unfortunately, when the British arrived, the Maori were able to trade food for Muskets, and war became much bloodier. Because war had never been greatly destructive before, the Maori had not developed a justice system that would allow for peaceful dispute resolution. The British colonists asked their government to step in.
Britain had no right to move in with police and courts, of course, without a formal treaty with the Maori. Even most of the Maori chiefs were happy to have help to end the bloodshed that was killing off their people. So the treaty of Waitangi was written and signed in this house in Bay of Islands.
Sadly, the stage was set for trouble. The British played a mean and dangerous trick on the Maori, and New Zealand is still paying a price for it. Since the British and Maori did not speak the same language, there were two translations of the treaty, one in English and one in Maori. The Maori treaty said that the Maori would allow the British to operate a government for the territory. The English version of the treaty gave full sovereignty over the whole island to Britain. Britain then exercised this clause to prevent the Maori to profit by selling their land! There is still resentment in New Zealand about this.
Here’s a picture of Camden signing the guest book at the Waitangi Treaty House.
We are still having a fine time. Our next post will be about our day in Auckland, the largest city in New Zealand.
Blessings,
Linda
It sounds like those British were awfully sneaky. We are wondering if it is chilly there.
Actually, it is summer here because we are south of the Equator. It has been warm, even though it drizzles sometimes. When this picture was taken, it was warm but it had been raining off and on.
We would like to Skype with you next week if possible. We miss you and will update the blog again soon.
Love,
Camden