How are we progressing as a nation?
That question looms large today as we mark 179 years since the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi Day.
It's a complicated query, covering issues such as equality, fairness, identity, the acknowledgement of past wrongs, as well as our hopes for the future.
Assessments of how much progress we have made in these areas are subjective, and this shapes the way we mark our national day.
For some, February 6 is simply a day off work, for others it is a chance to celebrate the anniversary of the signing of what many believe is the country's founding document.