Atop Flagstaff Hill

As we were told by one of my classmates at this morning's talks, this hill with a flagstaff has a special place in the history of Aotearoa/New Zealand. 

The town known as Russell was known (by the residents who lived here before the coming of the British settlers) as Kororareka, and it was an important area for them. This area became the administrative centre for the new colony. 

In the 1830s a flagpole was erected on this hilltop to fly the British flag. A local chieftain (Hone Heke) chopped it down. It was replaced and chopped down again at least two more times, and was the start of hostilities between Maori and the colonial administration. 

Across the bay is Waitangi, where the treaty between Maori and the English Crown was debated and then signed by the Governor for the Crown and many (but not all) chiefs. It is the founding document of our country. Initially a colony (of England), we became a dominion (of the British Empire) and then an individual state.

I took this photo when out on a walk which turned into a jog; the first since the pacemaker.