3/4: Maori Culture, a Geyser & Mud Pools at Te Puia on NZ's N. Island

I began this post more than a week ago with the greatest of intentions and hopes but all were dashed with about the worst internet I have ever experienced since Steven and I began traveling overseas together for a few months every year in 2013. To have such inferior wifi in such a developed country as New Zealand was very surprising to put it mildly. I will publish more posts as time allows now that we flew onto Australia today from Christchurch, a day after the horrific terrorist attacks in a city that had already known too much grief.

My friend Diane and I had chosen our accommodation in Rotorua in the north central part of New Zealand's North Island well in terms of location, size and amenities but we were unprepared for the rotten-egg smell of hydrogen sulfide that permeated the air throughout the town! Because the town sits on top of the most active Taupo Volcanic Zone, the earth around it "bubbles, boils, spits, and oozes, flower beds hiss, jewelry tarnishes and cars corrode."

The city, once known as the 'Great South Seas Spa,' ranks among the country's oldest tourism ventures and has been enticing visitors since the late 19th century to enjoy the thermal qualities. We'd come to visit Te Puia, a center for Maori cultural experiences and introduction to the area's geothermal valley. The full name of the Whakarewarewa Valley where Te Puia was located translates to "the war dance of the war parties of Wahiao." He was a great ancestor to the people of the valley.

I read that the Maori came from Hawaiki, an island located in Polynesia, to New Zealand but there was no explanation given that I saw why or when they moved. Before going into battle, Wahiao and his warriors prepared themselves physically for war by performing a fierce haka or war dance. The dance was often so intense it intimidated the enemy so much that no blow was struck. One of Wahiao's last strongholds was this geothermal valley.

Diane was standing in front of a waharoa or gateway that, in earlier times, formed the entrance to a pa or fortified village. It was usually an intricate carving that represented tribal ancestors or gods and served to manage the flow of people visiting a pa.

Nikora, the guide, explained that Rotorua was one of the only bilingual towns in New Zealand and the heart of Maori culture. The Maori language is very generous with vowels and is very phonetic. He explained the Maori had no written language in the past so major events became the place name. Many of the names had to be shortened to fit on traffic signs or just because they were easier to say, Nikora added! The area is generally known by its shorter name of Te Whakarewarewa which still seemed pretty long!

Below is the valley's full name which the guide had us say, syllable by syllable as it was such a long mouthful! You can see why it was shortened to 'just' Whakarewarewa Valley!

Nikora led us toward the Pohutu Geyser, the largest active one in the southern hemisphere, and pointed out that this was completely natural water shooting out of the earth. The geyser shoots up to an hour long and occurs about every hour with its peak lasting about three to five minutes. That sort of ‘routine’ made it very easy, he joked, to take visitors on a tour and be almost 100% guaranteed of seeing the geyser go off! Right then, he estimated, was the middle part of the eruption. 

He explained it’d be better to go back and see the geyser later when it might be at its peak and led us to the center's NZ Maori Arts and Crafts Institute instead. 

On the way, we passed a pataka or elevated storehouse which were used to keep food safe in addition to heirlooms and other treasures. They were set above the ground for ventilation and to deter klore or Pacific rats. The carving of a human form at the top of the pataka usually represented an important ancestor of the tribe. This beautiful and ornate pataka was carved specifically for the 1906 New Zealand International Exhibition in Christchurch on the South Island as part of a Maori fortified village and then moved back here to Te Whakarewarewa. 

Nikora mentioned that guests' admission to the Te Puia complex pays for students’ scholarships to attend the stone and bone carving school, the flax weaving school, the foundry to cast metals, and the tattoo school. The institute opened on site in 1967 although an earlier program began in 1926. They now accept 20-30 students per year, with tuition costing NZD60,000-70,000 per year for three years. The students, aged from 18-35, must be of Maori descent to be eligible to apply to the carving school and, I think, the other schools. Its aim was to foster Maori culture because it had been on the decline and having new students was the key to the survival of Maori arts in New Zealand.

The students are encouraged to see both traditional and modern ways of creating art so it’s viable today. It’s traditional, for instance, to use green stone or jade but that’s so expensive so another product is used that is cheaper. All the pieces tell a story, Nikora said, through the shapes and figures and as interpreted by the carvers. Novice carvers start with traditional patterns and designs before following their own unique designs later as they become more accomplished. 

The beech stone is used first before carving with jade. This piece, worn around the neck, represented a fetus and a good luck charm; a woman hoping to become pregnant wears one. Once a piece is finished, it is always blessed before being given to others.

Whale bones are not as available to use for carving as they once were. Nowadays, the bones come from beached whales though New Zealand has more occurring than any other place in the world because of the way tides work in the Pacific. Because they’re considered an ivory, anything made with whale bones can’t be taken out of the country.

The foundry process allows students to create molds of carvings made from different materials and then cast them in bronze. This was a manaia, a creature that often has the head of a bird and the body of a human, which is popular in Maori carving. It is a messenger between the earthly world and the world of the spirits and is seen as a guardian against evil.

Imagine learning to carve when some of the trees used in carving take up to 2,000 years to grow! The before shot and finished carvings: 

Many Maori carving patterns are inspired by the country's natural environment. When their ancestors arrived from Polynesia, they brought with them their wood-carving skills. Early Maori carvings resemble those found in other parts of Polynesia. But, as they settled, the ancestors were influenced by the birds, ferns and fish unique to New Zealand. The different patterns also tell a story of where the carvers came from throughout New Zealand. 

I was amused reading about the raperape pattern on the left below as it was derived from the tattoo on a warrior's buttocks! Apparently it is easy to draw. You simply draw the letter 'S' and continue the ends around evenly to form the design! Any takers?!

The unaunahi pattern was based on fish scales when Maori set nets and caught fish in the mesh, the mesh would have scales left behind. 

From our elevated perch above the apprentice carvers, it was engrossing watching them hone their skills. Nikora told us one of the teachers was a student here in 1966 and wanted to give back what he’d learned.

Students come from different tribes and eventually learn to do patterns for their own tribes. I asked Nikora why there were only men working doing the wood carving and he stated that was because in this school where the carving was done, the women were considered to be the key to the tribe’s survival and they were the top of the hierarchy. Men were considered to be ‘dispensable’ or ‘disposable’ as cutting down the trees and doing the carving was dangerous work.

Nikora emphasized that students at the institute are key to the survival of Maori arts. The hope is that graduating students would return to their own tribes throughout New Zealand and make sure that other native meeting houses that are hundreds of years old and need upkeep receive it. But there was no stipulation that they do that if they instead chose to sell their skills to the highest bidder, they were free to do so.

On the lower level, we watched these women weaving for a couple of minutes but Nikora had no commentary about their work at all. I don't know whether he was less interested in their skills or their products. That was a shame as I've been partial to woven items for a long time and would have appreciated also knowing about their contributions to Maori culture.

We watched for a couple of minutes as this woman made a rope out of flax that was about a foot long. I was kindly given one but I’m not sure what condition it will be in I once it gets home!

Some completed items for show or sale in the institute - not sure which - as we were rushed through to go back toward the geyser by Nikora. 

Both Diane and I were glad to hear that part of our admission price had gone toward funding scholarships for students of so many trades at the institute as that seemed very rare.

Diane en route to the geysers in the same complex as the institute:

Nikora told us that the water continually flowing over the rock becomes rock itself over time because the water contains so many minerals. It takes about 25 years for one inch of rock to form.

Even though both Diane and I've seen geysers in other places, it was still enormous fun seeing Pohutu Geyser bubble and hiss and finally spray enormous jets of water up to 86 feet into the air. I hope  I hope I never get too old to enjoy wonders of nature like this. 

As well as being a spectacular sight, Pohutu is the most reliable geyser on earth with eruptions lasting from a few minutes to much longer. About fifteen years ago, it erupted for over 250 days. However, because nearby residents used bores to tap into the valley's geothermal resources, Pohutu was at grave risk of losing its power. Fortunately, a program to close bores ensured that Pohutu continued to impress visitors once or twice an hour.

It would have been fun if we had had more time to sit on these natural ‘bun warmers’!

The Blueys Pool was given its name due to its cobalt blue color which it got from various minerals that have dissolved into it. The thermal pool collects water flowing out from the nearby geysers. The water in The Blueys is highly alkaline and its temperature is usually between 30 and 50 degrees Celsius.

It's been used as a bathing pool by residents of the village for decades and is still a favorite swimming hole for about sixty current residents who are descendants of the original inhabitants. They know to be very wary of the steam vents that exist under the surface of the pool as one split second of exposure to a vent could result in third-degree burns. 

The mud pools were rich with minerals, according to Nikora, and were more common than the geysers. Their constant temperature was 95 degrees F. Their existence was why the Maori ancestors settled in this region. The thermally heated mud pools benefit those suffering from dermatitis, eczema, arthritis and a host of other conditions Nikora talked about but I couldn’t write down fast enough! Part of the daily Maori lifestyle involved using the mud pools and also the boiling pools to cook fish in. It was only when he was older did Nikora realize not everyone lived like that, he shared with us.  

Maori traditionally used thermal mud to treat cuts and burns as the acidic Rotorua mud contained many different minerals found to help the skin heal and rejuvenate it. Mud packs were considered a much better way of treating cuts and burns than bandages and they left less of a scar. Thermal mud was also used to treat arthritis and rheumatism and to cleanse skin.

It was not just the Maori who believed in the thermal power of mud. Its reputation began in 1878 when an Irish priest with bad arthritis bathed here, declared himself cured and then walked 65 kilometers home to Tauranga! By the 1880s, Rotorua was internationally promoted as a 'spa town.' Nowadays, mud from Rotorua is sold as a cosmetic not only in New Zealand but around the world. 

Nikora pointed out these native red pine trees which the Maori used to carve statues.

Maori have always regarded the kiwi as a special bird that was protected by Tane Mahuta, their god of the forest. Although kiwi were hunted by Maori ancestors, there were also many references to the birds in traditional Maori chants and stories. 

They spoke of the quality of the human spirit that Maori believe kiwi to possess including humor, wit, tenacity and depth. Kiwi feathers were woven into beautiful cloaks that became associated with people of high status.

At Te Puia, the Maoris have provided a safe place for the flightless bird by breeding, rehabilitating, displaying and releasing these extraordinary and yet endangered birds. There had originally been millions of kiwis in the wild but there are only thought to be just 60,000 that remain. They are targeted when young by pests introduced to New Zealand like dogs, cats and weasels. They have also been endangered by the destruction of much of their habitat.

Since the 1800s, the kiwi has been used as an icon to depict New Zealand and New Zealanders. Most New Zealanders refer to themselves today as 'Kiwis.' In the past, they were called En Zedders, Maorilanders or Fernleafs, the latter because there are hundreds of ferns in the country!

Nikora explained that Te Puia had just two kiwi in the Kiwi House as it wasn't designed for visitors but to re-introduce them to their natural habitat. As they are nocturnal animals, the staff had altered their sleep cycles mimicking nighttime so they were awake when visitors are there. 

Once my eyes adjusted to the total darkness, and with Diane's assistance, I was able to just make out the birds, who were about the size of a chicken, scurrying in the exhibit. That was likely as close as we'd ever get to any kiwi bird as we had no intention of being up late when the birds are!

Our visit to the Kiwi House marked the end of our guided tour and left us just enough time to do some shopping at the gift shop before the next activity we'd signed up for, a Maori concert at the marae, the hub of the Maori community. It started with a Maori ceremony to see if people had come as friends or foe. A visitor from Australia had been selected randomly from the 150 or so guests to be the liaison between the Maori and everyone else. He and the chief Maori representative greeted each other in the customary fashion by kissing each other's noses twice and exchanging a firm handshake to symbolize friendship between people while everyone else hung back watching. 

We watched entranced while a Maori warrior performed a very choreographed welcome routine in front of the crowd and other Maori sang and danced in the background.

We were then all led inside the meeting house after following the honored guest and Maori leader. Strict instructions were given about being quiet and removing hats as a sign of respect for their culture. What followed was an engrossing 45 minute performance to introduce everyone to the Maori culture through song and dance by both male and female Maori.

Steven: I wish you were there to watch with me as I know how much you, too, would have loved the show, sweetheart. I think it would also likely reminded you of the show we both enjoyed on Easter Island in the fall of 2017. 

During one part of the show, long sticks were maneuvered around each person's body before then being tossed back and forth with increasing speed all while each Maori sang and one played a guitar. It was hard to know where and whom to look at as so much was happening at once!

When we had visited the fantastic War Memorial Museum in Auckland with its superb Maori exhibits a couple of days beforehand, we came across images of Maori warriors with their tongues stuck way out. I didn't give it much though except to think that was likely a thing of the past so was intrigued to see several of the male performers do it repeatedly through the show. It was done during the haka war dance to show how warriors tried to intimidate their enemy prior to battle by repeatedly flapping their tongues, making their eyes bulge and performing some very aggressive moves. It sure would have worked on me and made me cut and run as it was pretty scary!

The last part of the show involved some fun audience participation but luckily no haka war dance! Instead it was a Haere Mai or 'Welcome' in Maori.

The show ended with a beautiful rendition of a Maori love song of two lovers, not unlike Romeo and Juliet, but with a happy ending. What a delightful way to learn about part of the Maori culture.

It is now believed that the first Pacific explorers, probably from Eastern Polynesia, landed in New Zealand in double-hulled canoes between 700 and 1,200 years ago. After exploring here, they returned to their homeland with the knowledge of how to return for later migrations. This knowledge included star maps, currents and migratory patterns of birds and whales. Before we left Te Puia, Diane and I explored its recreated Maori village.

Its communal sleeping house seemed very small to me so I wondered how many people would have slept there.

This was possibly an animal pen but there was only a sparse description about the village and its inhabitants. Apparently, its aim was to show what life might have been like before Europeans arrived in New Zealand. The village included a patka or storehouse, gardens and oven, all made with traditional tools and techniques. Everything in it was carved in 2002 at the Arts and Crafts Institute that we'd toured earlier that day. The village was located on an ancient site where members of the Ngati Tribe had lived. Its position gave them excellent views so they could see if they were about to be under attack.

Diane and I thought these were likely dried meats and fish.

The village also contained a miniature carved meeting house with a thatched roof.

The geyser was easily visible from the village.

Just feet away from the deserted village that was unfortunately not promoted to Te Puia's guests was a mammoth carved war canoe called Te Arawai which meant 'pathway through the water.' The war canoe can be a symbol of prestige for a tribe. 

This canoe was 'only' about 19 meters long and could  fit up to 30 people. To make a canoe of this size, one totara tree would need to have been 1,500-2,000 years old.

This may look like an overgrown bird house but it was an elevated storage house to store items of value to the tribe.

After spending four plus hours at Te Puia, we wanted something different so drove over to Kuira Park, a public park that was a local hot spot, quite literally! We were really curious to see mud pools and hot springs alongside the flower beds, which at times can almost be hidden by clouds of steam. 

The karamu is a tall shrub common throughout NZ which has red berries that the Maori ate in the autumn. It was also traditionally used to treat common illnesses and injuries. The plant is a member of the coffee family so its seeds can be roasted and ground to make coffee. 

The temperature in this pool was a scalding 212 degrees!

One of the big attractions coming to the park, however, was the opportunity to dangle our weary feet in the shallow warm pools for a bit. That was definitely a slice of heaven! 

Our last stop of the day was to the Maori pa or fortress of Ohinemutu, the region's original Maori settlement, centered around the lakefront marae or meeting house and Anglican church, St. Faith's. We wandered down to the lake first just beyond the church.  

In front of the very English looking exterior of the church were gravestones that couldn't be buried because of constant thermal activity underground.

An otherwise small and nondescript gravestone was remarkable by  the words inscribed on it. "She did what she could." It would have been interesting to know what was behind that story!

When we entered the church, the interior was very striking as it was so different from what it looked like outside. The church was Maori on the inside and English on the outside and, it seemed, a perfect fusion of religion and culture. 

The volunteer guide kindly told us about the church and its parishioners. She stated that there had been a church on this site for 140 years. The present one was completed in 1914 and the wings were added in 1967 as the Anglican community grew. The first Anglican missionary arrived in New Zealand 202 years ago followed by a Catholic one 10 years later.

  

Never had I seen such an intriguing window in a church as this one that showed Christ walking on the water. 

Each family in the community was responsible for part of the weavings that covered the walls. The wall decorations were used as teaching resources so the Maori skills wouldn't be lost. That seemed to be the same philosophy as what we'd just heard at Te Puia with the Arts and Crafts Institute. 

Never would I think we could marvel at such fine weavings in a church!

Maori are polytheistic people believing in traditional gods upholding the one true God or Christ, according to the guide, who pointed out the gods were literally holding up Christ.

The smaller pews were made for children, something I'd never seen or heard of in the hundreds and hundreds of churches I've seen all over the world.

We walked toward the marae or meeting house across the street but it was closed. 

The church was located on active thermal territory, so much so that mini geysers began spurting in the pavement leading to the church's front door just three weeks previously! It had also damaged the stained glass behind the altar so it had to be temporarily replaced with a photocopy of the images while the glass was being restored. 

There was plenty of evidence of other thermal activity just around the church so we had to be careful where we walked as we explored more of the original Maori settlement.

Behind the church was a very moving Soldiers' Cemetery. Its entrance was inscribed with the following: "They gave their today for our tomorrow."

I hoped the soothing sounds of the water just feet away brought a measure of peace to the families of these loved ones who served their country in times of war. 

After only spending an all too brief two weeks in New Zealand, one of our highlights, we both felt later, had been this day when we got a good sense and appreciation of at least some aspects of the Maori way of life through our time spent at Te Puia. Further exploring their community around St. Faith's just added to our understanding and pleasure.

Next post: Exploring more of New Zealand's wonderful North Island.

Posted at last on March 16th, 2019, from Melbourne, Australia.