New Zealand days 6 and 7

Kissing goodbye at Morepork B&B

           Day 6 was spent driving through the rolling countryside between Bay of Islands and Rotorua, after Tricia bade farewell to the pet alpacas at the great Morepork B&B.  The morepork is a New Zealand owl, and there were two babies on the property that we were able to observe high up in one of the native trees. It was a long but scenic drive, through an area that reminded us of Scotland.  In fact, many Scots have immigrated to New Zealand, and there is a huge group on the South Island who are descendants of that nation.

          Rotorua, where we arrived in late afternoon, is basically the crater of a volcano that erupted around 220,000 years ago, creating a crater 13 miles wide, and spewing 340 cubic kilometers of material into the atmosphere.  Many smaller eruptions have occurred since then, most recently in 2005.  New Zealand, you might know, is located near the convergence of the Australian and Pacific tectonic plates, along what is known as the Pacific Ring of Fire.  Earthquakes are common (around 20,000 per year), although most are hardly noticeable.  But some are deadly. 185 people perished in the 2011 earthquake at Christchurch, and many buildings were destroyed.

          To distract our minds from the disasters and dangers, we had a nice meal and headed over to the Polynesian Spa, where we booked a private pool to soak up some of the naturally heated mineral water.  The place was crowded, and everyone except the attendants was speaking Japanese, but we were able to spend 30 minutes of heavenly relaxation, soaking our weary selves in a quiet rocky spa.  We could have stayed longer, but it would have cost extra.  We slept very well.

Maori meeting house at Te Puia

          Next day, we drove over to Te Puia, a Maori arts and crafts institute created in 1963 to preserve and display various aspects of the Maori culture.  Built on the site of a former Maori village, in an area of boiling springs and other thermal activity, the site presents an opportunity to watch craftsmen at work and explore an area resembling a miniature Yellowstone.  During the formation of the institute, one of the last great wood carvers agreed to teach his craft to a group of Maori students, who are passing down the art in a school there.  We learned and observed.

 

Carving at the school at Te Puia

          We had lunch on the grounds, and discovered that the Maoris have also taken up the art of ice cream making--or at least ice cream selling, since there was a freezer with 20 or so flavors right there in the little cafe.  One of us had a very small serving of the mochacino flavor, although the top scoop had to be eaten quickly to keep it from falling off the bottom scoop.  The mocha and cappuccino flavors mixed perfectly, although one member of our group who was not partaking thought it necessary to mention the expanding waistline of the other member.  The other member responded that ice cream was a lot like exercise, hard work, and sex:  a little bit never hurt anyone.  The first member said something about hurting the first member, and the conversation trailed off.

 

New Zealand's answer to Old Faithful

           We walked the grounds adjoining the culture center, where boiling pools, hydrogen sulfide gas, and a decent geyser reminded us of the volcanic nature of this part of the island.  The geyser erupts every 40 minutes or so, and puts on an impressive display for the crowds.

           From Te Puia, we spent the afternoon in the Rotorua Museum, a huge building converted from a 1930's spa into a display of Maori history and culture.  It was a great learning experience.  The Maori legend of the migration to this land, for example, holds that a high chief on the island of Hawaiki killed and ate the dog of a lesser person, who organized a battle against the high chief, which resulted in the lesser person leaving with a large contingent to find a new land.  DNA analysis has concluded that the first group to come here included 70-100 women, so evidently it was quite a flotilla of canoes that came across.  Perhaps there is some basis to the legend, although there is much more that we have not enough time to report.

          One of the most interesting displays chronicled the Maori involvement in World Wars I and II.  Thousands of them volunteered to serve, and those who were chosen by their people were often the oldest sons, who considered to be the best fighters.  But in the first war, the warriors were relegated to digging trenches and manual labor, the British fearing a public backlash if they were allowed to kill "white" enemy.  This changed in the second war, when the Brits became more desperate, and large numbers of Maori were killed in critical battles.  One of the Maori of the 28th (Maori) Battalion, a sergeant Manahi, performed so heroically in battle that four British generals strongly recommended him for the Victoria Cross.  Only a lesser award was given, and protests from many officers and the public over many years never rectified the slight.  Manahi was a quiet, unassuming man who never complained about the treatment.  He remained a hero to the people of New Zealand, even after his death in 1986.

          The evening found us at Mitai Maori Village, where we had a traditional Maori meal, and an impressive cultural performance by Maori people.  We had seen a couple of such performances in other lands, and had been extremely disappointed in the lack of authenticity.  But this one was for real.  You felt as if you were present during a confrontation between tribes during one part of the presentation; and explanations of various aspects of the culture were detailed and respectful.  You wouldn't have wanted to meet one of these guys in the forest if he considered you an enemy.

At the Mitai Maori Village

          It was a great day, full of learning.  Tomorrow, we head south for the largest lake in New Zealand.  Gotta stay away from the ice cream.

Charlie & Tricia

©2013