New Zealand: Mount Maunganui and Rotorua

[post by Ana]

Kia Ora (hello in Maori language)!


The first things we noticed when we visited Mount Maunganui is how peaceful it is. Then our eyes began to wander and take stock of the beauty all around. It could not be more perfect. After 10 months of travel Col and I were really looking forth to quiet and relaxation and it's exactly what we got. We loved it here.

The Mount is a resort town in the Bay of Plenty to the north of Tauranga. It was independent from Tauranga until the completion of the Tauranga Harbour Bridge in 1988 and it owes its name to the extinct volcanic cone that rises above the town, now officially known by its Māori name Mauao, but is colloquially known in New Zealand simply as The Mount.

Tauranga Harbour Bridge

Tauranga Harbour

"Have you walked the Mount?" was one of the frequent questions we got from locals. So we followed the advice and took advantage of the easy free walking tracks around the base. It's a busy track but also a very rewarding one.

For the more adventurous, there is a spectacular view of the coastline from its summit which Col did do, on a very foggy day. This is the locals's favourite thing to do in the Mount. Mine, personally, is to go to Monte Gelato ice cream place and get a lovely frozen yogurt ice-cream in an artisan waffle cone.

Views from the top

The summit

 The flat where we stayed at, off Marine drive, came fully equipped. We had our own garden, our barbie, two bedrooms and a very spacious kitchen dinner.  Does not seem like much but we were so happy to cook our own food again. Also around this time, we both came down with a very persistent cold, our energy levels were very low and we used this opportunity to focus on our health and nutrition.

With all this space we were keen to entertain and the opportunity came knocking when Joe, Ali and William dropped in to spend a day with us.

The headquarter

The weather was unusually windy and we did get some sun although not enough to justify a swim in the pristine blue waters of the Pacific ocean. Having said that, it did not stop Joe, William and Col venturing in. It was great fun and we had the chance, more than once, to show off our mastery of the barby. And it was quite the feast.

Geographically we were very close to Rotorua, one of the country’s oldest tourist destinations, and Pete kindly drove us to Rotorua and back, whilst there on a business trip.

Rotorua (from Māori: Te Rotorua-nui-a-Kahumatamomoe, "The second great lake of Kahumatamomoe") is well known for its geothermal activity, and features geysers and hot mud pools. It is also the ancestral home of the Te Arawa  people and we came here to learn a bit more about the Maori culture.

We made a quick stop at the visitor centre and after some consideration we chose to visit the Te Puia New Zealand Maori Arts & Crafts Institute. This was our first official run-in with Maori culture.

On arrival to Te Puia the first thing we saw was this impressive structure with twelve monumental carvings reach skywards, representing the spiritual beliefs of Maori.

We signed up for the daytime experience including the Te Puia Cultural Performance experience which was about to start at the Maori meeting house. We were greeted by our Maori host who advised that as part of the Cultural Performance, one of the tourist guests should volunteer as the Chief of the Tourists, this role befell to  Col. Who had to follow certain welcome rituals that go back centuries.

Our host

Col taking on the challenge

It didn't occur to me to record it then, I wish I had, it was really special. During the performance we were introduced to various Maori rituals, their meanings and why and how they are performed, including the Haka (challenge), which Col as the Chief had to perform, though he was still a bit poorly but he did the clan proud.

Haka (challenge) - Before battle the warrior would summon all his strength to perform this challenge. Aggressive actions, such as bulging our the eyes, thrusting out the tongue and making guttural sounds, woud serve to intimidate any enemy.

Titi torea (stick game) - This was a favourite pastime of old and young alike. Performers pass batons to and fro in time to the rhythm of the song, testing their skills of agility and hand-eye co-ordination.

After the performance, we returned to the main entrance where we met our tour guide. Many guides and staff are the direct descendants of the original people who settled in this valley and through Te Puia they protect the culture and heritage of the Maori people. Over the next hour he would spend time with us showing us around the complex and telling us stories that have been told for generations and sharing his own.

We started by learning how to read the message at the entrance “Te Whakarewarewatanga O Te Ope Taua A Wahiao”  - it's a mouthful I know, which translated means, “The gathering place for the war parties of Wahiao.”

We also learned that Te Puia is home to the national schools of carving and weaving, following an act of Parliament that bestowed upon this centre the role of guardians of Māori arts, crafts and culture. Acceptance into the programs is a highly competitive honor and students are carefully chosen from around the country to reflect a balance of different iwi (tribes) throughout New Zealand.When you visit, you can watch and interact with master carvers, weavers and their students, and purchase the finished artworks.

School of Carving

We ended our day spending time in the Te Whakarewarewa geothermal valley watching the mud pools and geisers, the most famous geyser, Pohutu (big splash or explosion), erupts up to 30 metres high depending on her mood. Please check the Te Puia site for more information.

Mud pools

 It was great to see the organised efforts of the Maoris in preserving their heritage and see these skills being passed on and celebrated by the younger generation. Theirs is a story of connection between people. Col and I left Te Puia on a thoughtful note. We headed back to lake Rotorua where we waited for Pete to take us home.

Lake Rotorua

Copy that!

 Thanks Pete!

We had a great time in the Mount and it was great to see Pete and Sophie again, more or less 5 years after they left East Dulwich. Thank you once more for your hospitality.

We made some calls and from here we would be heading to Bay of Islands and spending more time with Alison and Joe. For this adventure we rented a car.

I thought I could wrap up New Zealand in one installment, but I have to do a separate entry for Bay of Islands, where our education on Maori culture and New Zealand continues. Bear with me.

Click here for the full New Zealand album.

Editor notes
For this blog entry I borrowed considerable information from the following sources
http://www.tepuia.com/index.htm
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/travelblogs/1279/124914/Learning+about+Maori+Culture+at+Te+Puia?destId=362644