We'd scheduled our Sunday Morning to be a follow up the riding we'd done the day before. However the clouds had turned against us. Rotorua had decided to show us the true power of a NZ winter. We knew we were going to visit a Maori presentation in the evening, though we weren't sure which one. However the day was wide open. The girl at the Top 10 reception suggested we head to the Rotorua Museum to kill our day time. Museums are a fairly touristy thing to do, and not nearly as cool as riding, but we decided to have a go anyways.
On the way out the door I said to Nic :"What a hidden Gem!". I was pretty impressed by this little Museum. Pictures in most parts aren't allowed so it's hard to convey, but I'll try my best in one paragraph.
Nan was our tour guide. And like with all tour guides, there are a few whose passion and enthusiasm can be contagious. She was at least in her 70's and walked with a cane. She first showed us the downstairs of the museum, which during the great war had been used as a sort of place of healing for New Zealands soldiers. Doctors had used Rotorua's volcanic thermal mud and it's healing properties to help re-habilitate soldiers. The pipes were old and because of the natural sulfates in water, decayed quickly and badly. But the idea was still there in the basement and even survived the awful, meaningless '90,s as a night club. She then moved us towards the Maori Gallery which is full of mythology and history of the Maori people. They trace their roots to Polynesia and tell of great battles and the lives of Warriors along the way. There is no way to express it all, but waking up on sunday thinking it was going to be a dud, I sometimes wonder if rain sometimes doesn't happen for a reason.
I thank this day and it's rain for leading me here. It was the start of my Maori experience.
The other tidbit of info we got from reception was to try the Tamaki Maori Village . She said it was the best one. After we were done, Nic also said it was better than the last once she tried 6 years ago.
To me it still felt a bit too modern. But thats a retarded comment considering how far along their culture has moved. In truth, we cannot expect to see a culture as it existed hundreds of years ago. Those days are gone. Expecially in Canada. Looking again I see that these are modernized people trying to show it's values to the youth of an entire country. (NZ population = 3m).
Insert pics here
Followed by smaller presentations of Maori culture.
Followed up by dinner, which to be honest, I had been waiting for all night.
After we had eaten, and after I had made my way through the gift shop, a group of young highschoolers who were in addendance that night were given a chance to perform their own Haka.
To explain a bit further, a Haka is a traditional Maori dance. To my understanding, its purpose can be used in cases of fertility or war etc. Forgive as I'm just learning about it myself. If you want a quick tutorial Maori culture then I suggest watching movies such as "Once were Warriors" or "The Whale Rider".
Their presentation was impressive. Quickly after, the organizers of the event gave their own Haka, which was equally impressive.
I think it's really cool how an entire country can adopt the culture of the it's own original people. Maori culture has had its fair share of shitty times in the past 100 years. I should not have to explain this to any Canadian. What is impressive to me is what seems to be it's fast turn around. Maori people do no hide, or are not segregated from the rest of New Zealand pathos. The schools here have adopted the Haka and other Maori aspects into their own curiculum. To provide a short, concise statement to define the difference between Maori relations in NZ and First Nations in canada, I think that the Maori people have found the strength to take on a leadership role in the hearts of the average New Zealander youth.
No comments:
Post a Comment