As tourists we often take without giving back. Today we took but we also gave back. On May 7th we started our day by going to the Manganui beach and examining the ecosystem of the beach during low tide. We noticed the low tide zones had a great deal more algae than other areas due to the amount of sunlight it gets. The gulls around the area would muck up the water pools that were left and eat what they turned up, then cone snails and hermit crabs would come in and eat any left overs there may have been. It was very interesting to see how a seemingly inactive area was actually crawling with life and how that life interacted and created a cycle. We visited Whare tangata which is a sacred place where woman and children once fled to for safety from war. There, we were told the story of how the Maori lost this land by the Crown (Great Britain) and how they regained rights to all but 200 acres. This is the land where they built Waitaia lodge. Once we arrived to Waitaia lodge, we were greeted with a traditional Maori greeting, the powhiri. In this greeting the women host will call the guests in with the woman guests in front and the male guests in the back- the reason for this is because the woman in Maori culture are sacred and the men are their protectors. As the guests come in, the Maori woman will sing a song and the guests will pause until the song is concluded. The guests then take their shoes off at the entrance of the lodge as a sign of respect and the men enter first followed by the woman- this again is to protect the woman. The male Maori host will then give a speech in Maori welcoming the guests into the lodge followed by another song. After the Maori host finishes the song, then the male guest will introduce the rest of the group and will follow with a song as a gift. The guest song represents the mana of the group or the nature of the group. The ceremony comes to an end when the host and the guest perform a Hongi. The Hongi is when the guest and host touch forehead and noses, which signifies the utmost respect and trust within the Maori culture. After we were welcomed in, we ate together in the lodge. After lunch we gave back to our hosts by helping with the clearing of local footpaths in the surrounding bush. This consisted of clearing debris and leaf litter from existing paths and removing overgrown vegetation. We also aided in the construction of a bridge. After giving back, we reflected on the work we did and how it would influence the spiritual wellness of the land and the people that may visit it in the future. Our group settled down in one room on mattresses on the ground, as is tradition in Maori culture. Once settled our hosts spoke in length about their culture and what the forests and rivers mean to them on the four sides of their health. The overall concept of our conversation tonight consisted of how Maori are connected with the land, by this meaning if the land is healthy then the Maori are healthy. Both of our hosts agreed that water was vital in the health of an individual because it is the healer of everything and it cleanse your soul. We wrapped up our night with a night walk in the forest to look for glow worms. After today we have a more holistic view of Maori and what they represent, which is a deep spiritual and emotional connection to the land they live off of. Tomorrow is a new day full of endless experience and opportunity to grow both as individuals and our mana.
Aleesha Schultz and Kenya Fisher
Aleesha Schultz and Kenya Fisher