Tag Archives: New Zealand

The Waitangi Treaty Grounds

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Monday 13th May, 2013

We checked out of our motel in Paihia and drove a little way down the road to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. It was on this site that the Treaty of Waitangi (Tiriti o Waitangi) was signed between the Maori iwi (tribes) of the North Island and Queen Victoria’s representatives. Although the treaty is seen to be the founding document for New Zealand and 6th February 1840 to be the nation’s birthday it is not a straightforward chapter of history.

The Treaty

This was the first time we encountered some of the specifics of how New Zealand came to be part of the British Empire. Whilst I had studied some aspects of the Empire’s rise and decline what happened in these two islands on the other side of the world had never featured. It’s impossible to do justice to the complexity and the tensions without making this blog post far too long but it came out of a desire in both Britain, and New Zealand from both Maori and pakeha to establish some more formalised structure in relation to land ownership and security.   Continue reading The Waitangi Treaty Grounds →

Paihia – don’t Rock the boat

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Saturday 11th May and Sunday 12th May, 2013

After our toilet stop in Kawakawa we drove to Paihia and left the car at the motel we’d be staying at on Sunday. We took our backpacks and packed lunch, then booked our Cape Reinga tour for Tuesday at the i-Site.

All morning the sun had been shining and it had been a glorious day. As we walked into the town the rain began to fall, and fell heavily for a number of hours. We took shelter in a covered mall to eat our lunch and then walked to the end of the pier to wait for the crew of the Rock to collect us.

The view from Paihia over to Russell
Quite a marked difference by the afternoon from the view we’d had first thing that day: www.flickr.com/photos/bmwelby/8733242260/in/set-721576340…

As we waited we wondered if the trip might be called off – the rain was only getting heavier. But 1545 rolled around and we found ourselves waiting with a group of similarly excited yet apprehensive guests. Captain Ben and Norm arrived promptly to collect us and to our relief had brought proper fisherman-style raincoats for us to wear for the trip over to the Rock.

Continue reading Paihia – don’t Rock the boat →

Auckland day 3 – One Tree Hill and the Auckland Museum

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Wednesday 8th May, 2013

Today the rain was back with a vengeance! Although the weather forecast was fairly bleak we set off early in the hope of getting to Maungakiekie (more commonly known as One Tree Hill) before the rain. We were fairly dry when we got to the top but by the time we reached the Auckland Museum we were absolutely sodden!

Maungakiekie is an important place for both Maori and Pakeha (the Maori word for New Zealanders of European descent) and its chequered history demonstrates something of the tension between the two. Continue reading Auckland day 3 – One Tree Hill and the Auckland Museum →

Auckland day 2 – Devonport

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Tuesday 7th May, 2013

Our first day in Auckland had been very damp but with the sun shining brightly we decided we were going to spend today out and about and started with the Lonely Planet’s walking tour of the city centre.

Continue reading Auckland day 2 – Devonport →

Hello world!

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In the last fortnight Christine and I have moved away from York and left our current jobs to take a once in a lifetime opportunity to spend three months together and travel around Japan, New Zealand and the Cook Islands.

I wrote a little about the whys a couple of weeks ago but this blog is where we’re going to record our adventures.

We also need to introduce you to Jim. Continue reading Hello world! →