ANZAC Day
25 April 2008
Today is ANZAC Day. New Zealanders and Australians are paying tribute to those who have lost their lives in war. For many, it is another day off work, but there is a growing number of people who attend the dawn parades around the countries.
An interesting poll of 501 New Zealanders came out recently that showed that 38 per cent of the respondents felt that Anzac Day should be our national day, rather than Waitangi Day. While Waitangi Day has had its controversies and doesn't mean much to many New Zealanders (including me), I would still be reluctant to replace the day with ANZAC Day. Waitangi Day marks the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi day on February 6 1840, and the start of the modern New Zealand. ANZAC Day, on the the other hand, is a day to remember those who died for the country. While Waitangi Day may be irrelevant to many people, ANZAC Day is not an appropriate substitute.