Day 16 Russell

Location: 35 15 40.9 S 174 7 33.7 E

Here is the first bit of news: After two weeks and three internet cafes, I have finally downloaded and watched the CSI season premiere. Call it persistence or call it obsession; I’m not ashamed to say that I feel some accomplishment in getting it done. Now I know that I’m still two weeks behind, but you have to start somewhere…
We spent another day in Russell. The rain finally came last evening, but cleared by morning. There was a beautiful rainbow above the bay during breakfast. We decided to move out to the campground and back into the tent. The budget needs some help right now.
After breakfast we took the ferry back to Paihia and walked to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. As I mentioned the other day, it is the location where the Waitangi Treaty was signed in 1840. Basically, the Treaty allowed New Zealand to become a sovereign (independent) nation where Maoris and non-Maoris could work and live together as one. Before the Treaty, there was a lot of chaos in the land they called Aotearoa. The Maori tribes were fighting amongst themselves and more conflicts arose as the Europeans began to discover the area. Russell, for instance, was known as the “hell hole of the Pacific” in the early 1800s. In an effort to bring peace and protection and to avoid governance by other European nations, the British drafted a treaty that would protect the Maori and give them equal rights as citizens under the British Empire. After great debate amongst the Maori tribes, the Treaty of Waitangi was signed on February 6, 1840. The Treaty then traveled the country and many other Maori chiefs added their signatures. Some parts of the Treaty are still debated to this day, but as a whole, the document essentially created the nation of New Zealand.
The Treaty Grounds were very nice and hold some interesting buildings and artifacts related to the history that took place there. We visited the original house that was used by British officials, a Maori meeting house, and building that housed a traditional Maori war canoe. The canoe, “waka” in Maori, was 35 meters long and requires a minimum of 76 people to paddle the boat safely.
We’re really glad we took the time to visit and get a foundation for how the nation of New Zealand began.
LK

Day 14 Zig Zagging

Dargaville to Russell
Distance: 130 km
Time: 5 hours
Location: 35 15’40.9”S, 174 07’33.7”E

Today we cheated and rode two buses and a ferry to our next destination. We are once again trying to stay one step ahead of the weather…only time will tell. We packed up quickly this morning in Dargaville and caught the first bus to Whangarei. A few hours later we rode the Northliner to Paihia. From there, we rolled our bikes onto the ferry. We’re now happy to be in Russell, a beautiful ocean town in the Bay of Islands.
The Bay of Islands is a frequent stop on the tourist track, about 240 km northeast of Auckland. With 150 plus islands, the area is known for its sailing, dolphin swimming and bay cruises. Fortunately, development has stayed on the mainland and the islands are very natural.
The Bay of Islands also holds a great deal of historical significance. It is where European colonization started in New Zealand and it is also the place where the Treaty of Waitangi was first signed in 1840. I plan to share more on this after we have a chance to visit the Waitangi Reserve.
You might have noticed some of the names of places in New Zealand are not easy to pronounce. Our language lessons have been taken from the back of our Lonely Planet guide and listening closely to people through conversations. Many names are Maori, which is closely related to the Polynesian language. So far, it hasn’t been too hard to say the vowel combinations. It’s the special double consonants that are a bit confusing. For instance, “wh” is really pronounced as an “f”. So, Whangarei would be pronounced “Fanga-rye”. Between the Maori names and the Kiwi accent, we have been fully immersed in the culture here.
LK