Happy birthday Auckland, and every other place in the country more or less north of latitude 39. That is the old Auckland Province, an historic area that covers roughly half of the North Island but well over half New Zealand's population.
The public holiday on Monday marks the anniversary of the arrival of William Hobson in the Bay of Islands on the sailing ship Herald on 29 January 1840.
Hobson informed British settlers that he held a commission appointing him lieutenant governor and issued invitations to Maori leaders to meet at Waitangi. They were heady days in early settlement history.
On Monday, there will be echoes of those significant times on Auckland's waterfront. Hundreds of boats of every description will be on the Waitemata Harbour for the Anniversary Regatta, an event which also dates from 1840. The regatta, celebrating its 178th birthday on Monday, is a true descendant of the events of 1840.
The deep Maori connections of the region will have a considerable presence. The Tamaki Herenga Waka Festival starts today with traditional music and kapa haka, kai, healing and the chance to paddle a waka around the waterfront.
