The Central Eastern part of New Zealand's North Island is very geo-thermally active. There are geysers, hot spots and volcanos all over the area. In the late 1800s a massive eruption wiped out a fairly large Maori settlement and killed a number of people. The survivors were allowed to relocate to another thermal field. They would not likely get such permission today, given the unpredictable nature of active thermal fields, but luckily for us, we got the opportunity to visit their village where about 30 families still live in their traditional way. We got to taste traditional food, see a family of dancers perform and demonstrate how they make their costumes, and tour their public spaces. The Maori, like the other Polynesians we encountered in the South Pacific are kind, gentle and generous. It was nice to get a taste of their culture one last time before we move on to other places and peoples. There are two churches in the village, one Anglican and one Catholic. Apparently a past chief divided the village down the middle and made one half Anglican and the other half Catholic. When asked what the difference between the two churches was, he reportedly said that one came from Rome and the other came from England, but basically they are the same..... Obviously, they have incorporated their traditional motifs into the church's design. While they have added Christianity to their religious practices, they have not necessarily given up their traditional faith either. It reminds us of the native Americans in the American Southwest. Personally, we find their open mindedness refreshing!
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| The Village's Catholic Church |
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| The old bath....it erupted a few years ago |
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| Our guide shows us steamed corn from one of the geysers |
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| A Not-So-Frightening Maori Dancer |
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| A Not-So-Frightening Maori Dancer |
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| Showing Her Truer Nature |
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| The Ham of the Group |
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1 comment:
I'm glad you're enjoying New Zealand. I've been twice but have never spent much time on the North Island.
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