Flagstaff Hill, New Zealand
- Flagstaff Hill, New Zealand
Flagstaff Hill is a hill overlooking the Bay of Islands, New Zealand. Directly north of the small historical village of Russell, the flagstaff on the hill played a significant role in early relations between the local Māori iwi and early British colonials.
History
After the Treaty of Waitangi was signed in February 1840 at Waitangi, across the bay, relations between the two races soon began to deteriorate again. Hone Heke, a local Māori chief, began to resent the flagstaff flying the Union Jack above the bay, and was also angry at the fact that the capital of New Zealand had been moved from Okiato (Old Russell) to Auckland in 1841, much reducing the local trade with the foreigners. He had also been told by ships from other nations that the flag represented slavery for the Māori,Fact|date=June 2007 adding to the contrasting meanings the two races saw in the treaty wording. To add insult to injury, the flagstaff had originally been presented to the British by the Māori.Fact|date=June 2007
Hone Heke chopped down the flagstaff three times (it was always re-erected by the British) before 1845, and in that year, in the early moves of what would be called the 'Flagstaff War' or the 'Northland Land War', he succeeded in diverting the forces defending Russell, to land at the hill and chop it down for a fourth time on 11 March 1845.[Russell (from the Lonely Planet New Zealand, 13th Edition, September 2006.] The British did not re-erect the flagstaff again, fearing to provoke further conflict. After peace was restored, the Māori eventually raised a new flagstaff at the location as an offering of friendship.Fact|date=June 2007]Tourism
The hill is a favoured destination for many of the tourists coming to Russell, with walking tracks leading up the hill, which provides sweeping views over the bay. The bush around the hill is also Kiwi territory, [ [http://www.doc.govt.nz/templates/trackandwalk.aspx?id=36900 Flagstaff Hill Track] (from the New Zealand Department of Conservation website)] though the birds are too shy to be seen by passing wanderers.
References
External links
* [http://www.doc.govt.nz/templates/trackandwalk.aspx?id=36900 Flagstaff Hill Track] (from the New Zealand Department of Conservation website)
Wikimedia Foundation.
2010.
Look at other dictionaries:
Flagstaff Hill — usually refers to a hill on which a flag was erected for signalling or sovereignty purposes.Place names*Flagstaff Hill, Alaska, a hill on Unga Island, Alaska, United States *Flagstaff Hill, Melbourne, a hill in the historic Flagstaff Gardens,… … Wikipedia
Flagstaff, New Zealand — There are two places in New Zealand called Flagstaff: *Flagstaff, Otago, a hill overlooking the city of Dunedin *Flagstaff, Waikato, a suburb of HamiltonThere is also a Flagstaff Hill, New Zealand in the Bay of Islands … Wikipedia
Russell, New Zealand — Russell, formerly known as Kororareka, was the first permanent European settlement and sea port in New Zealand. It is situated in the Bay of Islands, in the far north of the North Island. As at the 2006 census it had a resident population of 816 … Wikipedia
Military history of New Zealand — Flag of New Zealand … Wikipedia
List of mountains of New Zealand by height — The following is a list of the highest mountains in New Zealand, and also of some other notable mountains and hills, ordered by height.The 30 highest mountainsThe 30 highest mountains [This list excludes mountains in the Ross Dependency, an area… … Wikipedia
Flagstaff — Flagstaff, from a staff for displaying a flag, can refer to:* Flagpole (structure), from which a ship s colours are shown * Flagstaff, Arizona, a city in Arizona, United States, home of the historic Lowell Observatory and the Northern Arizona… … Wikipedia
Flagstaff, Otago — Flagstaff is a prominent hill overlooking the northwest of the city of Dunedin, in New Zealand s South Island. Together with Mount Cargill, which lies to its northeast, it dominates the skyline of the city. Flagstaff lies seven kilometres to the… … Wikipedia
Flagstaff War — Infobox Military Conflict conflict=Flagstaff War partof=New Zealand Wars caption= date=11 March 1845 11 January 1846 place=Northland, New Zealand result=Stalemate combatant1= Māori allies combatant2= Ngā Puhi commander1=flagicon|United Kingdom Lt … Wikipedia
New town — For places called New Town , see New Town (disambiguation). Model city redirects here. For the US urban aid program of the 1960s and 1970s see Model Cities Program. Navi Mumbai, India is the world s largest planned city. A new town is a specific… … Wikipedia
Pā (Māori) — Terraces on Mt Eden, Auckland, marking the sites of the defensive palisades and ditches of this former pā. The word pā (IPA paː) can refer to any Māori village or settlement, but in traditional use it referred to hillforts fortified with… … Wikipedia
