5 minutes from our hotel are the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. It was here in 1840 that the British and Maoris signed the treaty that brought some peace and legality to the relationship between the British and the Maoris.
The Treaty Grounds were beautifully cared for. Some sub tropical forest with ferns, palm trees and other huge trees and some lawn where the treaty was signed. The site was marked by a flag pole upon which the the Union Flag, the New Zealand and the Maori Nation flag hung.
We visited the treaty house and were privileged to see Maoris sing, dance and explain how they treat their visitors. The singing was beautiful. What I really liked was they way they had taken western instruments eg the guitar and incorporated it into their music. They explained that the Maori language was a spoken language and the way they kept their history alive and remembered was by song.
We also a saw a war canoe, a waka. It was by these canoes that they travelled the Pacific from Polynesia 800 years ago. New Zealand was uninhabited until then.

After visiting the Treaty Ground we caught a car ferry to Russell. A pretty little sailing and tourist town. In the 19th century it was lawless and was full of sailors, whalers and other reprobates and every other house inthe bay was a house of ill repute. So bad that it was nicknamed the 'hell hole'.
A really lovely day.