Waitangi Day

Kia ora New Zealand, February 6 is the day we celebrate our heritage and the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, the 1840 document which joined Maori and Pakeha in a historic partnership.

While the national focus is usually on events at Waitangi in the Bay of Islands, there are plenty of things you can do to celebrate at home or in your own neighbourhood.

• Dig out those New Zealand flags last used during the Rugby World Cup and festoon the car again.

• Have a shared Kiwi dinner with the neighbours. Dishes might include kumara chips, lamb chops, barbecued sausages and tomato sauce on white bread, L&P, a traditional lettuce salad decorated with grated cheese and sliced boiled eggs. Pudding is, of course, pavlova with a kiwifruit topping.
  

• Wear Kiwi colours: black and white, or the colours of the New Zealand flag.

• Get the kids to make poi. Stuff small plastic bags with cushion filling or shredded paper, then tie up with plaited ties made out of red, black and white wool.

• Some New Zealanders make a special trip for Waitangi Day every year but there are also lots of local celebrations. Contact your local council or look out for billboards. They're like to include anything from kapa haka and hangi to live entertainment, concerts, kids' activities and food.

• Make a trip to the museum, with a special visit to the New Zealand history section.

• Start tracing your own family tree or whakapapa. Dig out the family photos to show what great-grandma wore on her wedding day.

• Get the kids to walk like a kiwi around the house, using their arm as a beak to snuffle along the ground. This is a great distraction from boredom and naughtiness just before dinner. You could even hide a few jelly beans behind the sofa for them to "discover".

• Rent a good old Kiwi classic film, such as Footrot Flats.