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Story: Public holidays

Armistice celebrations

Video file

This exuberant parade took place in Dunedin in July 1919, although the commentary suggests it happened after the signing of the First World War armistice in 1918. The Union Jack flags waved by many of the onlookers show that at the time New Zealanders saw themselves as very much part of the British Empire.

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Archives New Zealand - Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga

Reference: The years back: the twentieth century. National Film Unit, 1973

Permission of Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga must be obtained before any re-use of this material.

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How to cite this page

Nancy Swarbrick, Public holidays – Celebrating imperial ties, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/video/32469/armistice-celebrations (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Nancy Swarbrick, published 14 March 2012.