5 February 2006
From shovelling sand to cracking icy ground, New Zealand Defence Force personnel in Egypt and Afghanistan are preparing hangi pits for tomorrow’s Waitangi Day commemorations.
The 26-strong Kiwi contingent serving on Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula will feast on roast beef, lamb and fish with their Australian colleagues monitoring the border between Egypt and Israel.
Contingent commander Lieutenant Colonel Jeremy Smith said being deployed overseas wouldn’t stop them celebrating an important event like Waitangi Day.
“We have to carry out our transport and driver training tasks as usual, but we will sit down in the evening to wind down over a hangi with our ANZAC counterparts.”
Senior National Officer Group Captain Kevin Short said his contingent in Afghanistan’s Bamyan province would hold a powhiri for local government officials to give them a taste of Kiwi culture.
“The ground is frozen solid on most days so digging a hangi pit in Afghanistan isn’t easy. We had to wait until a sunny day before we could start digging so the ground was easier to break.”
Other Waitangi Day celebrations for deployed New Zealand troops will include sit down meals in Timor-Leste and the Solomon Islands and a fun run for New Zealand families in Singapore, organised by NZ Defence Attaché Colonel Martin Dransfield.
ENDS
Currently 394 New Zealand Defence Force personnel are deployed on 19 operations, UN missions and defence exercises around the world.
For further information please contact James Heffield, Defence Public Relations, on
04 529 6033 or 021 569 148.