Digging Up History

Pegasus, North Canterbury. 2008 & 2009 Ajr

When I flew out of Christchurch recently, I had a clear view of the new North Canterbury town of Pegasus, 25 kilometres north of Christchurch. Viewed from the air it seems little more than an excavation site and I think the first residents have only just moved into their new house. There is a long way to go for the rest of the town, which will include hotels, shopping complexes, golf course, lakes, a yacht club and homes for 7,000 residents. In the meantime, much has been going on at ground level. Because of the town’s proximity to the old Kaiapoi Maori pa, home of the Nga Tu-ahu-riri hapu (sub-tribe of Ngai Tahu), the town’s developers, Infinity Investment Group agreed to work with a team of archaeologists and tribal representatives to ensure that any artefacts unearthed are treated appropriately. A significant number of Maori artefacts have been unearthed, including greenstone adzes, the remnants of a waka (canoe) and an ancient pou (carved post), which is believed to have been part of the old pa’s palisade defences, which were breached by fire in the 1830s. The plan is to house these and other significant cultural items in a whare taonga (cultural centre) to be built at Pegasus.

Pegasus, North Canterbury Jan 2009. Ajr

The rich historical significance of the Pegasus site has also been acknowledged in the placement of six new carved pou whenua, which make a bold statement at the entrance to the town. Carved by Fayne Robinson, Riki Manuel and Caine Tauwhare, who collectively have more than 75 years carving experience, the pou took eight months to complete. They’ve been carved from wind-felled totara logs from Okiwi Valley just north of Kaikoura and gifted by Te Runanga o Kaikoura on behalf of the people of Ngati Kuri. www.pegasustown.com If you are interested in Maori Culture please click on my other blog http://maorilifestyles.blogspot.com for much more.

Maori Cultural Centre

Christchurch. Jan 2009. Ajr

I was out biking the other day and found myself outside Nga Hau E Whau National Marae, a multi-tribal, multi-cultural marae that was built in Christchurch in the 1980s on land gifted by the Christchurch City Council. It’s the only marae in New Zealand that was founded as a meeting place for all the peoples of New Zealand regardless of tribal affiliations, race, religion or geography. It operates as a place of culture, education and entertainment and frequently welcomes visitors and tourists, who can watch Maori weavers and wood carvers at work. I love the Marae buildings here but as the complex was closed when I stopped by, I photographed this rather impressive front gate instead. The prominent lintel over the gateway is called Te Amorangi. The two top carved human figures are of Governor William Hobson (the Queen’s representative) and a Maori Rangatira (chief), who represents the three Ngai Tahu chiefs who signed the Treaty of Waitangi. Both represent the coming together of Maori and Pakeha (Europeans) at the Marae. If you are interested in Maori culture please click on my other blog http://maorilifestyles.blogspot.com for much more.

Rockclimbing Heaven

Castle Hill, Arthur's Pass. Dec. 2008. Ajr

Castle Hill is one of my favourite South Island landscapes - grassy hills covered in weird limestone rock formations - clusters of almost-animate-looking forms that rockclimbers and boulderers delight in. The area also has special meaning to the Ngai Tahu tribe and there are ancient rock drawings that attest to early Maori frequenting the rocks. This is where we started our 4-day Tuatara Tours West Coast Trail - not that this particular bit could have been considered 'a real walk;' rather, it was our lunch spot. From there we went further down the road and climbed up through beech forest to the Lyndon Saddle. www.tuataratours.co.nz.

For other hiking images click on West Coast Trail or The West Coast below this post.

Marae Interior

Waihao marae, Waimate. Nov. 2008. Ajr

The Waihao Marae sits in a field on a quiet gravel road south of Waimate.

It's just two kilometres from a dramatic stony coastline (see whitebaiters below), where locals gather the sea's rich bounty. It doubles as the local community War Memorial Hall - for both Maori and Pakeha. This is the back interior wall, where old photos of war time soldiers are displayed along with two traditional piupiu (skirts)

Maori Marae

Arowhenua Marae, Temuka. Nov. 2008 Ajr

A few weeks ago, I drove south to the little town of Temuka. Just south of there is the Arowhenua Marae. This is it - a very cute building that overlooks a swampy landscape.

The South Island's Ngai Tahu iwi (tribe) has eighteen runanga, which operate from individual marae. I have just three left to visit. www.ngaitahu.iwi.nz

Contemporary Kai

The Waihao Lunch. Nov. 2008. Ajr

Kai is the Maori word for food; Ngai Tahu is the major South Island Maori tribe (iwi). Put the two together and you come up with Jason Dell, Ngai Tahu executive chef at Blanket Bay, who yesterday whipped up a culinary treat for us at Waihao Marae, south-east of Waimate, three hours south of Christchurch. Using the traditional foods of marae –eel (tuna), flounder (patiki), yellow-eyed mullet (aua) and sea-run trout – Jason prepared a lavish lunch for the marae kaumatua (elders). We started with tomato soup with Waldorf salad and eel (top left and bottom right); then raised our forks for sea-run trout set on a polenta cake and lobster ravioli (top right); finishing with fresh bread, baked flounder and baked mullet stuffed with pickled mussels, tomato and an assortment of herbs (bottom left). Not a bad way to spend a sunny day in the south. For more information on Jason Dell put Meet the People - 4 into the blog search box above left. www.ngaitahu.iwi.nz

Whitebaiting at Waihao

Waihao River Mouth, South East Coast. Nov. 2008. Ajr

This is where I have been for much of today - at the Waihao Marae and Waihao River Mouth, about three hours south of Christchurch. It was all in the name of work - another kai (food) feature for Ngai Tahu's Te Karaka magazine......This time a look at the abundant of kaimoana (seafood) found in these parts. After lunch at the marae, cooked by Ngai Tahu chef, Jason Dell, who works as executive chef at Blanket Bay, near Queenstown, we headed for the river mouth to check out the whitebaiters. They were working hard in dangerous seas but it appeared to be worth it. They had bucket-loads of these little fishy delicacies.

Maori Tradition Meets Modern Technology

Images Photographed from Aho Creations brochure, Ngai Tahu.

I always get excited when someone comes up with an exciting new – and totally unique - New Zealand product. So its three cheers for Ngai Tahu, the South Island’s largest Maori tribe and their development of their fabulous Aho brand, which has kicked off with a range of beautiful wool and possum fur shawls and scarves. What makes them all the more special is that they feature motifs by recognised Maori artist, Ross Hemera, based on the ancient Maori rock art drawings found in several locations around the South Island. (These sites are under the protection of the Ngai Tahu Maori Rock Art Trust). Combining the innovation of leading edge textile technology with ancient imagery and cultural values, this is a range to watch. www.ahocreations.com

Speaking the Language

Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu promotional material It’s Maori Language Week again – something that has occurred in New Zealand every year since 1975. It’s a time to celebrate Maori language (te Reo Maori) and this year it runs from July 21-27 with the theme te Reo i te kainga – Maori language in the home. When I was in the Ngai Tahu offices here in Christchurch this morning, I was lucky enough to see parts of a video that has been prepared as part of the Ngai Tahu language initiatives. I also picked up this brochure, prepared as part of Ngai Tahu’s Generation Reo campaign, Kotahi Mano Kaika, Kotahi Mano Wawata (One thousand homes, one thousand aspirations), which was established to raise awareness of and an appreciation for Maori language among Ngai Tahu people. There has been a huge resurgence in te Reo Maori, especially since New Zealand officially became a bilingual nation in 1987. Generation Reo is all about encouraging families to speak Maori at home and it’s about a whole lot more than just giving the next generation a second language; it’s also about strengthening identity and saving another of the world’s languages from extinction. As someone who is passionate about language fullstop, I find it very gratifying to see Ngai Tahu, as just one iwi (tribe) on a mission to restore te Reo Maori within homes. As their promotional material points out, “it takes one generation to lose a language and three generations to revive it.”

A Fistful of Houses

Rapaki. July 2008. Ajr

I drove over to the tiny Lyttelton Harbour settlement of Rapaki for an interview yesterday and while I waited for the clock to tick over to the appointed time, I took this snap looking down on the bay. Nestled into a sheltered inner eastern shoreline, Rapaki is – geographically - little more than a fistful of houses clinging to the hillsides, a small beach, a jetty and the Maori marae that is home to the Ngai Tahu runanga, Te Hapu o Ngati Wheke. The Te Wheke hall was built in 1901 and sits on a grassy plateau just above the beach, along with a gorgeous little Whare Karakia (church), which opened in 1869. The thing I love about the place is the total silence – not to mention the ever-changing seaward views. www.ngaitahu.iwi.co.nz