New Zealand - the Māori
New Zealand and the Māori: this theme will keep coming back at many stages of our journey across both islands. The Māori are something of an enigma. They cannot be regarded as the original inhabitants of these lands in the way that Native Americans are in North America or Aboriginal people are in Australia.
They were colonisers themselves, and they probably came from the islands of the eastern Pacific at roughly the time Poland was adopting Christianity, in the late 10th century. Over the centuries they were not pushed to the margins, nor did they become outsiders to the mainstream, as the Aboriginal Australians did. They are part of society, and a highly respected part at that. In New Zealand you constantly come across bilingual signs, and many ceremonies open or close with a Māori song or prayer.
Our first encounter with Māori culture comes as early as Auckland Airport. In the terminal we are welcomed by a huge gateway carved from wood, and everyone has to pass through it. Mythical creatures and human figures with eyes picked out in coloured stones, together with a pole crowned by a great bird with outstretched wings, make it clear to every arrival whose land this once was.
The haka at Whakarewarewa village
We had the chance to see the Māori haka at Whakarewarewa, a living village and open-air museum not far from the town of Rotorua. Throughout the show of Māori dance and song we were waiting for the moment the haka would begin, and it made a real impression.
The haka was performed by warriors before battle. It was meant to display their strength and their will to win, and in this way to frighten off or deter the enemy. Today you can often see it before New Zealand sports teams take the field (in rugby, for instance). It has become part of the identity of all New Zealanders, whatever their ethnic roots. The haka is performed with the legs slightly bent and set wide apart.
Watch on YouTubeThe melody is very spare: the group shouts out simple words in rhythm, striking “hand against hand”, “hand against thigh” or “hand against chest”. Typical features are bulging eyes, the tongue thrust out, puffed cheeks, blowing and hissing through the teeth. The effect is heightened by striking facial tattoos. The leader moves among the dancers calling out commands that send them down on one knee, stamping their feet and slapping the ground with their palms, and shaking their hands vigorously.
Sculptures and monuments in the Māori style stand in front of public buildings, and schoolchildren learn the Māori language and culture, including dance and song. Children we met along the way often greeted us in Māori.
A church on the Whanganui and the Cardboard Cathedral
Two of our Māori experiences were connected with churches. We came across a small Catholic church on a hill above the banks of the Whanganui River. Its European exterior concealed an interior full of Māori elements.
A beautiful carved altar and a painting of the Māori Madonna. That is what I called her, at least, though she may well go by a completely different name.
The second experience came at the so-called Cardboard Cathedral in Christchurch. The powerful earthquake of 2011 changed the face of the city for ever. Besides claiming 185 lives, it destroyed many of the city's buildings, among them the cathedral at the very heart of Christchurch. Looking at it today, fenced off from the surrounding square and streets, you cannot see the full extent of the damage. The neo-Gothic building seems to be in decent shape, and you would think that after renovation it could go on serving worshippers and tourists alike. Unfortunately, the problem lies underground. The disaster altered the structure of the ground on which the great building stands. Watercourses appeared beneath it, and the stability of the whole structure fell dramatically. All this makes it practically impossible to restore the cathedral to its original role. Wanting to create an alternative to the ruined place of worship, the city authorities and residents turned to the Japanese architect Shigeru Ban for help. Just over 2 years later, a new, temporary cathedral was already standing in the suburbs.
Today it is a major attraction. Everyone wants to see its “cardboard” interior, where the eye is drawn above all to the massive tubes of reinforced paper that hold up the roof.
We went there in the evening to admire the beautifully lit stained-glass windows at the front.
Unfortunately, we were not allowed in, as a concert was under way. Somewhat disappointed, we started to walk around the building. Suddenly one of the side doors opens and a woman we have never met beckons us in. In a hushed voice and with a smile she lets us know that we are welcome guests. Thanks to her kindness, we get to admire the interior while listening to a performance by the German ensemble “Trio A Due”.
As the concert draws to a close, our benefactress, much to our surprise, rises and walks towards the stage. Everyone stands up and listens intently to the Māori song she leads, which brings the gathering to an end. And so, quite unexpectedly, we feel first-hand the power of the Māori heritage and the respect this cultural legacy enjoys in New Zealand.
I also recommend the story of our north-to-south journey across the North Island and a few of my tips if you are heading to New Zealand.
