Monday 2nd April 2018 - Easter Monday - Wellington
I was up quite early to post on the blog and also to try to start the huge job of sorting out hundreds of photos some more of which will eventually find their way into the appropriate posts.
After having coffee in the room, we dressed and set out for our day's activity at about 9.15 a.m. We walked down past the 'beehive' Parliament building to the waterfront. There is an extensive amount of reclaimed land in Wellington, some of the streets which are some way from the sea are called 'quay' which, of course, many years ago, they were. The present waterfront which is old dockland has now been modernized and provides a lovely walk with art installations and restaurants and other attractions together with a great view out over the bay. We passed by Queens Wharf where the e-bike company 'Smartbikes' operates as we were contemplating hiring one if we have time. Wellington is quite hilly so the help of some electricity on the bike would be useful.
It was a beautiful day if a bit windy, Wellington is known for its winds and today's was lightish but still quite feisty.
After about half an hour we arrived at the Te Papa Museum. This is a magnificent building which is effectively the 'New Zealand Museum'. Entry is free. We had a tour booked called 'Introduction to Te Papa' which was an hour's guided tour of some of the exhibits and some background to both the museum and also to the New Zealand history and the Maori culture.
I intend to write lots more on the latter subject later on, probably after I get home.
After a simple check in process, we met our guide, Ewan. Ewan was very knowledgeable indeed and was fluent in the Maori language as well as its history and culture and the developments even today to right the wrongs which have occurred in the history of the settlement of New Zealand.
We began on the 2nd floor where there is a huge exhibit recounting the Gallipoli campaign in WWl. This display which was constructed with the help of Peter Jackson who produced, among other things the 'Lord of the Rings' movies is just incredible and won the best museum display in the world title after it was opened in 2015.
We moved on t the next level of the museum which held the main art collection of the country, there not being an official NZ art gallery.
Then it was on to the 4th level which is the Maori level and, here, photography was restricted due to cultural reasons. We started with the Waitangi Treaty of 1840 between the UK Crown and the Maori chiefs, which was written in both English and Maori languages but there were significant differences in the two. Essentially, the treaty said that the Maoris could have their land but that they were subject to British rule. The Maori chiefs of the many Maori tribes interpreted it differently. Later there were wars between the British and the Maoris which diminished the Maori share of land significantly.
The situation is now being rectified and more of that later.
Ewan also explained the amazing history of the Maoris who originated in Asia and moved eastward across the Pacific populating Polynesia and even South America. Anthropologists have found similarities in the DNA of Taiwanese and Maoris. Eventually, the Maoris prodigious navigating expertise got them to sail westward from Polynesia to New Zealand.
We aso saw the remarkable development of the fauna of the country. Before the arrival of the Maoris, there were only two mammals in New Zealand, both were types of bat. There were many indigenous birds, a lot were ground dwellers as there were no predators such as the world's largest bird the Moa and also, of course the Kiwi. The Maoris introduced some new species of plants and animals, but it was the Europeans who really upset the balance by the introduction of the possum (for its fur) and the stoat to keep down the rabbit population and the red deer, for hunting. These species did not do what they were supposed to do and the possums and stoats devastated the local bird population and the red deer the local vegetation. Measures are now being taken to reduce the numbers of these creatures ti give the indigenous birds a chance to recover. It is too late for many of them, including the Moa which was hunted to extinction.
After this most illuminating tour by Ewan we were free to roam around the museum. We went through the Gallipoli exhibit which is immensely powerful with six or eight characters' stories from the campaign featured. There are three times life-size dioramas of the individuals featured with excerpts from their dairies and letters and much history of the doomed campaign in which over 300,000 people on both sides, lost their lives many of which were from the ANZAC brigades. Suffice to say this was a powerful and sobering experience and one could see how it managed to win such accolades. We are not sure what will happen to the exhibit when it closes at the museum in April this year but Peter Jackson is constructing a museum himself for all his movie memorabilia and it may end up there.
After this we took in the Toi Art exhibit of various modern art installations, revisited the Maori section where there is an original carved wood house which is just stunning and which after removing one's shoes, you can enter and sit and contemplate. Maoris even come and sleep over in the house inside the museum. This house was moved from its original Maori location and now the Maoris have been offered it back and have to decide if they will leave it in the museum or return it to its original location.
We left the museum and had a quick lunch at the appropriately named MAC's Bar just across the street.
Then we walked up into the city and caught the cable car up to the top of Victoria Peak where the views out over the city are wonderful. We then walked down back to the city through the Botanical Gardens. This would bring us right to the hotel which was very convenient. On the way we passed through the Bolton Street Cemetery. An old cemetery where the remains of many of the early settlers were interred. The construction of a freeway through the city bisected this cemetery and 3,700 of the graves were disinterred and re-buried in a new peaceful plot overlooked by a small chapel just below our hotel.
Back at the hotel we had a short rest before meeting Katrina and Robert who would join us for dinner. Katrina is a former colleague of MAC's at the U.N. who moved back to her native New Zealand some years ago, she now works for the New Zealand Government in a department which looks after at-risk children. Both she and Robert are still working but have bought a house at Hawke's Bay which they are fixing up as a potential retirement retreat. We walked to a restaurant called Shed 5 and which specializes in seafood. This is a great place right on the waterfront which has the added attraction of being quiet and allowing conversation, a rarity in many paces these days!! We had a very enjoyable dinner of tuna and a delicious seafood chowder washed down with an excellent NZ Pinot Grigio. We were able to swap stories about the wonderful country we had come to visit and Katrina suggested that before leaving the next day we take the free tour of Parliament which we will do.
I have many photographs from today's activities but they will have to await adding to this post until I have had a chance to sort them out. I also have much more to say on the fascinating Maori culture and history but that will have to be for another day when I have more time. It was great to hear an optimistic tone from Ewan about the way in which Maoris and their language are being restored to their rightful place in New Zealand.
Tomorrow we are on the road again towards Tongariro and then Rotorua.
After having coffee in the room, we dressed and set out for our day's activity at about 9.15 a.m. We walked down past the 'beehive' Parliament building to the waterfront. There is an extensive amount of reclaimed land in Wellington, some of the streets which are some way from the sea are called 'quay' which, of course, many years ago, they were. The present waterfront which is old dockland has now been modernized and provides a lovely walk with art installations and restaurants and other attractions together with a great view out over the bay. We passed by Queens Wharf where the e-bike company 'Smartbikes' operates as we were contemplating hiring one if we have time. Wellington is quite hilly so the help of some electricity on the bike would be useful.
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| The 'Beehive' building - home of the New Zealand Parliament |
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| An old Colonial building, now a library |
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| A rather 'cutesy' toilet sign. |
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| Waterfront art |
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| Dog walker with a good 'mob' |
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| An ornate building on the quayside |
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| Our destination Te Papa Museum - entrance FREE!!! |
After about half an hour we arrived at the Te Papa Museum. This is a magnificent building which is effectively the 'New Zealand Museum'. Entry is free. We had a tour booked called 'Introduction to Te Papa' which was an hour's guided tour of some of the exhibits and some background to both the museum and also to the New Zealand history and the Maori culture.
I intend to write lots more on the latter subject later on, probably after I get home.
After a simple check in process, we met our guide, Ewan. Ewan was very knowledgeable indeed and was fluent in the Maori language as well as its history and culture and the developments even today to right the wrongs which have occurred in the history of the settlement of New Zealand.
We began on the 2nd floor where there is a huge exhibit recounting the Gallipoli campaign in WWl. This display which was constructed with the help of Peter Jackson who produced, among other things the 'Lord of the Rings' movies is just incredible and won the best museum display in the world title after it was opened in 2015.
We moved on t the next level of the museum which held the main art collection of the country, there not being an official NZ art gallery.
Then it was on to the 4th level which is the Maori level and, here, photography was restricted due to cultural reasons. We started with the Waitangi Treaty of 1840 between the UK Crown and the Maori chiefs, which was written in both English and Maori languages but there were significant differences in the two. Essentially, the treaty said that the Maoris could have their land but that they were subject to British rule. The Maori chiefs of the many Maori tribes interpreted it differently. Later there were wars between the British and the Maoris which diminished the Maori share of land significantly.
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| All that remains of the Treaty which was lost for many years. |
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| The significant differences in the way the Treaty was presented to each party. |
Ewan also explained the amazing history of the Maoris who originated in Asia and moved eastward across the Pacific populating Polynesia and even South America. Anthropologists have found similarities in the DNA of Taiwanese and Maoris. Eventually, the Maoris prodigious navigating expertise got them to sail westward from Polynesia to New Zealand.
We aso saw the remarkable development of the fauna of the country. Before the arrival of the Maoris, there were only two mammals in New Zealand, both were types of bat. There were many indigenous birds, a lot were ground dwellers as there were no predators such as the world's largest bird the Moa and also, of course the Kiwi. The Maoris introduced some new species of plants and animals, but it was the Europeans who really upset the balance by the introduction of the possum (for its fur) and the stoat to keep down the rabbit population and the red deer, for hunting. These species did not do what they were supposed to do and the possums and stoats devastated the local bird population and the red deer the local vegetation. Measures are now being taken to reduce the numbers of these creatures ti give the indigenous birds a chance to recover. It is too late for many of them, including the Moa which was hunted to extinction.
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| A representation of the Moa showing its immense size alongside a human. |
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| These paper poppies were offered for anyone upon which to write a message, fold up and place in the exhibit. MAC left a message in memory Mirel, a former Romanian colleague at the U.N. who had passed away in the last few days. |
We left the museum and had a quick lunch at the appropriately named MAC's Bar just across the street.
Then we walked up into the city and caught the cable car up to the top of Victoria Peak where the views out over the city are wonderful. We then walked down back to the city through the Botanical Gardens. This would bring us right to the hotel which was very convenient. On the way we passed through the Bolton Street Cemetery. An old cemetery where the remains of many of the early settlers were interred. The construction of a freeway through the city bisected this cemetery and 3,700 of the graves were disinterred and re-buried in a new peaceful plot overlooked by a small chapel just below our hotel.
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| The view from Victoria Peak |
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| The pleasant walk down through the Botanical Gardens to our hotel |
I have many photographs from today's activities but they will have to await adding to this post until I have had a chance to sort them out. I also have much more to say on the fascinating Maori culture and history but that will have to be for another day when I have more time. It was great to hear an optimistic tone from Ewan about the way in which Maoris and their language are being restored to their rightful place in New Zealand.
Tomorrow we are on the road again towards Tongariro and then Rotorua.
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