Seven Stops in New Zealand: Day 4 - Wellington

Windy Wellington lived up to billing and white caps bounced along atop blue waves as we nestled into our harbour. For the last few days we have shared dock space with logs of pine, all about the same length (10 or 12 feet) but of varying girths. The smell is wonderful and makes me a wee bit homesick. It’s been great watching all the little machines (we are several storeys above them) move about taking logs off trucks and into piles, then sawdust from piles into trucks. Every four year old’s dream view.

We spent the morning at the excellent Te Papa Museum, primarily in the Maori department. Interesting to see their very elaborate carving and art is always of humans or human-like gods, as there were no animals on this land for them to encounter. Contrast that to our BC coast’s First Nations which were almost entirely about animal, animal-spirit or a transformation from animal to animal/human. Our religions are always based upon what we know and encounter.

Human habitation here has only been for the last 800 years or so, making Aotearoa (“the land of the long white cloud”) the last of the islands the Polynesians voyaged to and set up settlements. European settlers came about 600 years later, resulting in its usual uproar and misunderstanding of the traditional way of sorting things out by bloody intertribal warfare. The Maoris asked Queen Victoria to settle things with some sort of law and order, which led to the Treaty of Waitangi signed in 1840. Two versions, on in each language were drawn up, and the Maoris readily signed their copy, understanding that the British Government would run things, while they would still have ownership of their land. What they didn’t know is that the English translation of the Treaty worded things a little differently, which was not realized until land was taken over and build upon, without consent or approval by the Maori. It all had to do with how the word “sovereignty” was defined in each culture. No surprise who won the argument, and the Treaty is controversial to this day.

Things really came on like gangbusters in 1861 when gold was discovered in them thar hills, in central Otago. I didn’t even know New Zealand had had a gold rush, but they did and it changed the islands forever in terms of migration. They did get some things right earlier than other countries did though. The year Canada wrote its confederation document, New Zealand installed four Maori seats in government. Before the 19^th century was done, women were given the right to vote, New Zealand being the first country in the world to do that. As for many colonial nations, the First World War was a defining moment, but suffered terribly in Gallipoli, with the Australians, when ordered by Britain to fight against the better prepared Turkish soldiers. This small country’s casualty rate was one of the largest of any: more than 50% of all its troops were either killed or wounded.

Actually for a country of only 4.5 million, New Zealand really hits above its weight. It excels in sport: always among the world’s best in rugby and sailing: most America’s Cup boats probably include at least one kiwi, and Sir Edmund Hillary, the first man to leave rubbish on Mount Everest was a kiwi. The country’s sheep are famous (outnumbering the human population 7 to one) and produce more than just lamb for international dining tables, but also gorgeous merino wool for international bodies. Manuka honey is a world-class wonder product, as is its Sauvignon Blanc, in my opinion! And then there is Whittaker’s Hokey-Pokey, a chocolate treat I now curse Yun for introducing me to because my luggage is not sufficiently large to bring enough of it home!

After the museum, I wandered around this small, hilly capital city, reintroduced myself to the Beehive, a building so named because it not only looks like an old fashioned beehive but also because it houses the Executive Branch of the Government. I took the Cable Car up to take in the magnificent view, and then wandered around the extensive and lovely Botanical Gardens. Camelias, heathers, rhododendrons and roses were all blooming together, something impossible at home, and the air was heady with blossom and leaves. Pollen too, and I am feeling happy to have brought so much antihistamine with me. I never really want to have to use the medical kit I bring, but if I need it I am always glad I erred on the side of hypochondria.

Due to tides (we were told) we had to depart by 3pm, so I was unable to visit author Katherine Mansfield’s house. Next time.