As I write this, New Zealanders are waking up to Waitangi Day – the New Zealand public holiday that celebrates the signing of the treaty upon which the nation was founded 165 years ago. That document was – and remains – the centre of debate in New Zealand.

It’s a debate about sovereignty, about ownership, about partnership and about the extent to which a contemporary culture’s obligations, responsibility and entitlements are carried forward from the past.

Every year there are protests. Every year there’s the ‘will-they / won’t they’ speculation about invited politicians attending the Marae – and about mainstream media being granted access to the proceedings.

And here on the other side of the world, I guess you could say it’s a day for ex-pat kiwis to consider what it means to be a New Zealander.

There’s the scenery, of course. There’s the weather. The culture. The politics.

But the New Zealand I think of?

It’s heavy metal media lecturer Matt Mollgaard. It’s funkmaster and fine observer of the human condition, Jubt Avery. New Zealand is humourist, television producer and professional non-musician, Paul Casserly. It’s the collected media output of Simon Grigg, Hugh Sundae, Damian Christie, John Campbell and Victoria ‘Girl Sunday’.

It’s buying records from Cian O’Donnell at Conch. Alternating coffee shouts with radio writer, producer and educator Trevor Plant. It’s Great War historian, classical buff and lapsed computer expert Peter Hoar. It’s newsreader extraordinaire and unbeatable brunch host, Joe Gilfillan. It’s internet guru and jazz expert, Nigel Horrocks. It’s dubmeister, thinker and blogger Peter McLennan. It’s new-millennium journalist, media commentator, and thrower of deck parties, Russell Brown.

It’s the impeccable taste of hip-hop radio programmer, Manuel Bundy. It’s singer, songwriter and expert parent, Sean James Donnelly. It’s drummer and convivial dinner guest Nick Gaffaney. It’s audio technician, weathermeister and unfailingly helpful soul, Rick Huntington. It’s left-wing media analyst, pub philosopher and ever-patient thesis supervisor, Wayne Hope.

It’s shotgun-wielding moko’d Tuhoe activist and broadcaster, Tame Iti. It’s film-maker, artist and education-reformist, Welby Ings. It’s jazz-lover, advertising man, RBA Chairman and closet Concert FM listener, David Innes. It’s DJ, boxer, sailor and confirmed pedestrian, Bevan Keys. It’s drummer, radio programmer, tv director and corporate voice, Bill Kerton.

It’s business manager, snappy dresser and all-round enthusiast Jef Kay. It’s Duke of Rock and heart and soul of George FM, Thane Kirby. It’s ex-Rural Reporter, gone-to-the-darkside PR specialist, Andrew Melville. It’s jazz-singer, new dad and criminally under-exposed talent, Chris Melville. It’s fitness buff, marketing guru and kids radio activist, Guy Needham. Trumpeter, drummer, unofficial national treasure and Sufi, Kim Paterson. Studio guy, radio producer and serial award-winner Phil Yule. Jazzer, centrepiece for the improvisational music community and enthusiast, Drew McMillan.

It’s writer/actor, westy and pool-owner Jim McLarty. Theatresport centrepiece, hobbit and hostess Lori Dungee. Forestry consultant and wine buff Angus McPherson. Historian, museum curator and educator, Dianne Northcott. Comedian and ultimate frisbee champ, Dave Horn. Maitre d’ par excellence and good neighbour, Tom Maguire. Magazine editor, keeper of the pop charts and e-group moderator, Paul Kennedy.

Communication theorist, educationalist and most organised person on the planet, Susan O’Rourke. Indie Music boss, Mojo subscriber and minimalist, Mark Roach. Label owner, guitarist, broadcaster and keeper-of-the-faith Trevor Reekie. Raconteur, morning person and entertainer, Peter Urlich. Electronics whiz and late-night fixer of stereos, Colin Waterhouse.

Writer, culture buff and incurable Wellingtonian, Mark Cubey. Studio engineer, blogger and radio buff, Richard Phelps. Electronic music producer, jazz prodigy and next-big-thing, Lewis McCallum. Public broadcaster and kiwi music champion Liisa McMillan. Saxophonist, shakuhachi player and Zen Buddhist, Jim Langabeer. Telecommunications expert, Low Power FM broadcaster, and society administrator, Peter Shaw.

It’s all these people and more. It’s the people I listened to on my radio, watched on my telly, taught in my classes, passed in the street…

It’s family and it’s friends.

When I think of New Zealand, that’s what springs immediately to mind.

Happy Waitangi Day.

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Today’s listening:

101. Tonic – Sugar Revolver (1999)