The Nomads have arrived in Auckland, New Zealand. On the flight over we've met photographer and painter Niels, a Dutch Kiwi, who kindly offered to put us up for the night. You hear of stories how travelers connect and traveling becomes making homes away from home. Meeting kindred spirits or just simply meeting nice folk that you take a liking to and vice versa. Sometimes they might even let you stay at their place. Well these stories are all true. So here we are crashing at Niels crib making plans for our brief visit to New Zealand.
Still in island mood we plan to visit Wahiki island, just of the coast from Auckland. Of course we have to make sure were back in time to watch the live match of the All Blacks playing the South Africa Springboks. We also plan to take the scenic Overlander train to Wellington. But make sure we can watch the world cup soccer finals in the 4 Kings sports bar, home of the All Whites and make it to the airport in time to take the plane back to Auckland. All our planning makes it clear we have too much to do and to little time to do it. But we hit the laptop and before we hit the sack were all sorted for our blitz visit to New Zealand's North Island.
What's funny, at least retrospectively, is that we arrive here in the middle of winter time. So far we have enjoyed severe hot spells and an Indian summer in the USA. But this part of the world has some serious winters. Of course nothing like we have back home in Europe. But enough so to force us to purchase some appropriate winter attire. Shopping for garments in Auckland is however not a problem. This nice multi-cultural city has everything a Nomad may desire. It has a distinct European feel to it. Maybe a little less British than Sydney and with a sizable Asian community reminding you your in the Asia Pacific region.
Oatearao, land of the long white clouds, is the last part of the world inhabited by the human species. The Polynesian Maori settled here when the island had a fauna untouched by human interference. Extinct birds, like huge kiwi's, once walked this earth, only threatened by the also extinct giant tiger. The first Maori arrived on the shores of New Zealand's North Island around 1200 BC in ocean going canoes from a mythical homeland called Hawaiki. They developed into tribal warrior and even cannibal societies that were never united under an all encompassing chiefdom. It was only towards the middle of the 19th century Oatearoa came into significant contact with the wider world. Also then it was the last human community on earth untouched by globalisation. Inter-tribal warfare continued but now with western firearms and together with European deceases the Maori population that only numbered around a 100.000 people started to decline.
At first the British Crown was apparently hesitant to colonise this remote corner of the word and only to bring order to the lawlessnes of European settlers decided to interfere. A treaty with 500 chiefs was signed that brought British law to the islands and made the Maori British subjects in return for tribal autonomy and protection against the lawless white marauders and settlers. Not all Maori acknowledged the treaty and war ensued between some of the tribes and the British colonials. After the Maori wars ended the British confiscated 95% of their lands and left the Maori decimated to less than 50.000 people by the end of the century.
Although many at the time believed the Maori would assimilate into white society that already numbered a million people and disappear. The Maori people however recovered. Their numbers have risen to over half a million and their political voice is strong. That in modern times there is still much hardship to overcome can be seen in a film like 'Once were warriors'. But today Maori culture is still on the rise and New Zealand has a racial record that when compared to many other former colonies they can be proud of.
At first the British Crown was apparently hesitant to colonise this remote corner of the word and only to bring order to the lawlessnes of European settlers decided to interfere. A treaty with 500 chiefs was signed that brought British law to the islands and made the Maori British subjects in return for tribal autonomy and protection against the lawless white marauders and settlers. Not all Maori acknowledged the treaty and war ensued between some of the tribes and the British colonials. After the Maori wars ended the British confiscated 95% of their lands and left the Maori decimated to less than 50.000 people by the end of the century.
Although many at the time believed the Maori would assimilate into white society that already numbered a million people and disappear. The Maori people however recovered. Their numbers have risen to over half a million and their political voice is strong. That in modern times there is still much hardship to overcome can be seen in a film like 'Once were warriors'. But today Maori culture is still on the rise and New Zealand has a racial record that when compared to many other former colonies they can be proud of.
TBC - tobecontinued
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