Guest Post: The Wonders of New Zealand

When Christina asked me to write a guest post about some of my travel experiences, I decided to write about a place that I know she and Allan want to visit, New Zealand.

Photo courtesy of http://www.newzealand.com/ca/auckland/

 I visited and stayed in New Zealand for a few months several years ago.  It’s a country that is rich in culture, with tons of things to do and see and I loved every minute of it.

I stayed solely on the North Island, mostly in Auckland, but I know the South island is also amazing.  NZ’s landscape is so beautiful and it reminded me a lot of BC and a bit of the UK.  There’s a huge UK influence, I found, particularly in the food and products.

 

One of my favorite aspects of NZ was the culture.  The native people of Aotearoa (NZ in Maori) are the Maori, but there a major influences from other Polynesian islands; like Fiji, Tonga and Samoa.  Like most of the Polynesian cultures, dance and music play an important part in the Maori culture.  You may have seen a Maori Haka, a warrior dance that the NZ All Blacks perform before every game.  The Maori warriors stick out their tongues and the women open their eyes, kind of bulging them out, to strike fear in their enemies.

Tattoos and art are also important to the culture.  Facial tattoos are very detailed and filled with meaning in every line and both men and women get them.  Carvings fill the Maraes that can be visited, although they are sacred meeting places for the Maori’s. 

Marae in Rotura - Photo courtesy of http://www-staff.it.uts.edu.au/

Spending some time with Polynesian people, you will be impressed with their pride for their cultures and you’ll be fed until you’re stuffed, as food is another major part of the traditions.  It’s the way they celebrate all events and family gatherings.  Some of the foods you might expect are; roasted pig, taro, fish, and a lot of different fruits.

U2 celebrated the life of one of their crew members, who was a New Zealander, by writing the song, One Tree Hill, which is actually a volcanic peak in a suburb of Auckland.  It’s an important memorial for New Zealanders and Maori’s.  Although the One Tree was destroyed by vandals, the memorial obelisk still stands.

One Tree when it was standing - Photo courtesy of http://forestpolicyresearch.com

If you ever end up visiting NZ, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.  There are so many things I didn’t
mention that are so worth visiting.  Remember Lord of the Rings was filmed there so there are plenty of
tours that run for that too.

 PS - Thank you so much, Bronwen, for sharing your experiences.  You can see Bronwen's blog at www.rubyna.com