We had a public holiday on Wednesday - Waitangi Day - the anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, celebrated as a public holiday in New Zealand on 6 February since 1960.
I could google this, but then only I would learn something 
Tell us more about this Waitangi... 

Gladly. Did a bit of research on in over the past weekend. But I would be typing pages if i had to cover everything,
Waitangi signed treaty of 1840 is considered the founding document of New Zealand. It was signed by representatives of the crown and 40 Maori chiefs across NZ. The treaty secured British sovereignty over the islands of New Zealand. - The Treaty guaranteed that individual Māori iwi (tribes) would have undisturbed possession of their lands, forests, fisheries and other taonga (treasures) in return for becoming British subjects. The Maori chiefs also hoped this would bring unity and stop the musket wars between Maori tribes that took place from 1807-1842)
However this did not bring peace as there were various conflicts between the British and Maoris from 1845 to 1875 and is known as the New Zealand wars. The biggest problem as in most countries where the British (

) landed was over land and smaller groups refusing to acknowledge the crown. Eventually, in 1860-1875 the british and NZ armed forces got involved.
New Zealand has a rich and complicated history. Here is a timeline I came accross
About 1807: First use of muskets in battle in New Zealand, by Ngāpuhi
1809: Crew of Boyd killed by Ngāti Uru at Whangaroa
181825: Ngāpuhi raids across North Island
18216: Ngāti Toa and other iwi migrate from Waikato to Wellington area
182937: Ngāti Toa and allies fight Ngāi Tahu in South Island
1835: Ngāti Mutunga and Ngāti Tama invade Chatham Islands
1840: Treaty of Waitangi; first large-scale British settlement
1843: Twenty-two Pākehā and 4 Māori die when land dispute between Ngāti Toa and Nelson settlers turns violent at Wairau
18456: Inconclusive Northern War which splits Ngāpuhi for and against and government
1846: Fighting near Wellington as Ngāti Toa resist expansion of settlement
1847: Fighting around Whanganui as up-river tribes attack settlement
1858: Coronation of Māori King symbolises opposition to further land sales
18601: First Taranaki War ends in stalemate between government and local iwi
18634: Waikato War Kīngites expelled from lower/mid-Waikato and Tauranga
1863: Suppression of Rebellion Act enables confiscation of land of 'rebel' Māori
18648: Many small conflicts, most between Pai Mārire followers and other Māori
1865, 1866: Campaigns in south Taranaki by imperial troops
18689: Titokowaru's War threatens settler control of Whanganui area
186872: Te Kooti raids across central North Island and is pursued by kūpapa
1881: Māori autonomy in south Taranaki ends with occupation of Parihaka
1884: Survey of King Country; Pākehā no longer excluded
1890s: Urewera Māori resist land surveys
1898: Hokianga Māori assert rights in Dog Tax Rebellion
1916: Arrest of Rua Kēnana at Maungapōhatu ends Māori autonomy in Urewera
In the end, Waitangi Day means everything it's whānau, community and helping others. It's wāka, kapa haka, tupuna, karakia and kai.
For more to read go here :
https://teara.govt.nz/en/treaty-of-waitangi/page-1