Otago Anniversary Day 2023 New Zealand: Each year, New Zealand honors one of its provinces, Otago, on Otago Anniversary Day, officially observed on March 23. The actual celebrations, which include multiple local events, parties, and more, occur on a public holiday that occurs on the Monday following March 23. People explore the region, study its history, and congregate in one of Otago’s major communities, such as Dunedin.
HISTORY OF OTAGO ANNIVERSARY DAY
Otago, a city in New Zealand, has been inhabited for a very long time, possibly since the arrival of the Mori in the 1300s. According to many accounts, they lived in relative isolation from the rest of the world until the arrival of the first European explorers in the late 18th century.
While the first of these explorers, most notably Captain James Cook, did not approach Otago, they did report seeing a fire blazing on the peninsula in 1770, which is recorded as the first human contact between Mori and Europeans in Otago.
Over time, an increasing number of European settlers immigrated to New Zealand and constructed residences and lives on these lands. Otago, which had not yet been settled by most Europeans, was still Mori territory. In the 1830s and 1840s, when the Mori consented to sell portions of their traditional land to European settlers, this changed. The 31 July 1844 sale of land to a British company for £2,400 paved the way for a significant European settlement in Otago. The original name for this settlement was New Edinburgh, but they ultimately chose Otago.
Then, in 1848, the first surge of settlers arrived aboard two ships: the ‘John Wickliffe,’ which arrived first, and the ‘Philip Laing,’ which arrived three weeks later with twice as many passengers as the first ship. In 1853, these settlers founded the municipality of Otago, thereby establishing the Otago Province.
By 1875, all such regions (known as provinces) had been eliminated, including the Otago Province. Only their names and geographic boundaries exist today, and they are now referred to as provincial districts. Numerous of them observe their unique anniversaries as public holidays, although the dates and festivities differ by region.
In the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, a growing number of New Zealanders demanded the abolition of Provincial Anniversary holidays as a result of the absence of provinces. Nevertheless, these holidays continue to exist, as many regions maintain traditions and events for these weekends.
5 FUN FACTS ABOUT OTAGO AND NEW ZEALAND
The ancestry
Nearly 80 percent of Otago residents are of European descent, with the majority being descendants of the Scottish colonists who arrived on the John Wickliff.
Provincial authority
In the past, each province was governed by its own administration and had its own authority.
Habitat for rare fauna
The world’s rarest penguin, the world’s rarest sea lion, the New Zealand fur seal, and the little blue penguin are all found in New Zealand’s Otago and adjacent areas.
The steepest path on earth
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the steepest thoroughfare in the world is Baldwin thoroughfare in Dunedin, New Zealand.
The vessel Dunedin
Once upon a time, a ship named Dunedin successfully transported refrigerated meat, establishing New Zealand as a significant agricultural supplier despite its isolation from other markets.
OTAGO ANNIVERSARY DAY DATES
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | March 23 | Thursday |
| 2024 | March 23 | Saturday |
| 2025 | March 23 | Sunday |
| 2026 | March 23 | Monday |
| 2027 | March 23 | Tuesday |
