21-gun salute honoring the Queen on Waitangi Day labeled ‘disgusting’

A 21-gun salute marking the anniversary of the Queen’s accession to the throne is coming under fire for being celebrated on the same day as Waitangi Day.

The planned greeting at Waitangi and Point Jerningham, Wellington, will be held tomorrow to mark the anniversary of the beginning of the reign of Elizabeth II, New Zealand’s head of state.

But two Wellington city councilors have questioned whether the salute is appropriate on the same day the nation recognizes Te Tiriti or Waitangi.

Councilor Tamatha Paul said Waitangi Day was a day to reflect on the shared history and partnership between the Crown and the Maori.

“Gun salutes are really inappropriate given the damage and carnage caused by guns and the entire colonization process.

“Whether the guns were in the hands of the Crown or the Maori for us, I think there was a lot of unnecessary pain when the guns arrived in New Zealand.

“So I think the symbolic nature of a gun salute on a day that is very controversial and that asks us to reflect on our history as a country is really unpleasant.”

A spokesman for the Defense Force said it was a coincidence that the anniversary of accession occurred on February 6.

“The accession came after the death of the queen’s father, King George VI, on February 6, 1952 and has since been marked in New Zealand and throughout the Commonwealth.

“It is a long-standing, annual endeavor carried out on behalf of the New Zealand Government.”

Fire salutes grew out of naval tradition. A warship would fire its cannon to show that its weapons were empty, showing they were unloaded and had no hostile intent, the Defense Force spokesman said.

In Wellington, the salute weapons were moved from Alexandra’s military barracks on Mt Cook to Point Jerningham in 1925.

City Councilor and Maori Association Portfolio Leader Jill Day shared Paul’s concerns.

“More people are starting to question our history and what we think is acceptable to move forward.

“It is really the symbolism around the weapons that are used, it is obviously tradition, but for the Maori the introduction of weapons into the country did not have a good impact.”

There are four more greetings planned at the Point Jerningham Battery in Wellington this year to celebrate members of the royal family on occasions such as birthdays and the Queen’s coronation.