Rotorua: Tourist (and Maori) Centre of New Zealand

Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Rotorua
April 8th 2006

Published: April 22nd 2006

Rotorua is probably the one place that most tourists make sure to visit when coming to New Zealand. This is the literal hotbed of Maori culture, because this is the bountiful geothermic area that was so abundant in its riches for the earliest Maori people to arrive in New Zealand, more than 200 years before the Big Discovery made by Christopher Columbus. Rotorua sits on the edge of one of the m... Read Full Entry

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A.L. Carney

alcarney

I am doing a few weeks of voluntary work at an environmental learning centre in Central America. For gardening and teaching some local women some felting and other textile crafts, and to update the centre's website. It is a very interesting place, and the programmes are quite impressive. There are 8 volunteers here I think, two of us are twenty nine, and the rest are in their early to mid 20s. The website does better justice to the huge undertaking this has been: http://www.learningcentercostarica.org/ This is from 4 years ago My 25 year old daughter Erin and I are leaving fo... full info

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Ancestor of this tribe

While I can't recall the exact name (it most likely has about 13 syllables)this carving is of an ancient ancestor. By entering this tribe's marae, we embrace the heart, body and soul of the tribe.

Imagine how long

The Kiwis have been conserving water. In the Rotorua Museum washroom.(that ingenious method of halving the flush volume)

Project at the carving school

lying in a corner as an example of student work.

Walls of a marae

Similar to the North American Indian Long House, the marae is like the community centre of the Maori Pa. Note the wall coverings, intricately woven flax with carved and painted wooden supports. The red, white and black pattern is seen in most Maori pa's today.

Statues typical of many of the pa's we visited

This one was at the Tamaki Maori Village. The white weapon is a tool used to bludgeon and decapitate. The facial expression, including protruding tongue, is to intimidate enemies.

The top knot hairstyle was seen

in the movie, River Queen. This type of wood carved statue was present in many of the re-discovered villages, but not so much on the current pa's which are in many cities and towns of Northern Island.

Demonstration of the fire built

under the ground for the hangi meal. Since we didn't witness it being done earlier in the day, it was reconstructed to show us.

Tamaki Maori Village

Demonstration of carving tools.

Pakata : store house

Used to store food and treasured items of the villagers. This ornate storehouse was built and then displayed for an international exhibition at Christchurch in 1906. These storehouses are commonly found in coastal areas.

This was too funny to miss

I set up the camera for an Obligatory Tourist Shot, then it got twisted so Erin almost got cut off. More fun this way.

Anyone for orange rind?

At our picnic enroute to Hamilton from Rotorua, Erin tried to entice some calves to the fence. Apparently they have no interest in citrus fruit.

Just another breath-taking picnic spot

which abound alongside the New Zealand highways.

Just another picnic site

Notices for these pop up frequently along all New Zealand highways - quiet areas with picnic tables. And there are usually several cars in them.

Heavenly Pavlova for dessert

at the hangi, Tamaki Village. They DID say that it's hard to make pavlova in the hangi ovens,...

Sulphur- stained soil

near the cooking pool, Te Puia

Silica crystals form

as a precipitate around the fissures and hot pools. The red mineral staining the soil is known by name to most artists using paints,...not carmine red, but ________

Koru: Maori term for fern

These would make HUGE fiddleheads back home. The fern uncurling is depicted in many forms in Maori art and carving.

Koru: Maori term for fern

Another type of fern. The previous one looks like it has caterpillars on it, but those are just the curled fronds of the large tree fern.

Koru: Maori term for fern

The previous fern, when uncurled. These were in the gardens at the Buried Village.

Not sure of the name

but these colourful blooms are seen growing wild along the road and in people's gardens this time of year - fall. They look like some form of lily.

Ever wonder how photographers

did that trick of water looking all soft and flowy? Me neither.

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