Travels - Leah McCord: New Zealand, Fall 2005
Kia Ora! Haere mai! (Hello/Welcome)
As a student of Religious Studies and Anthropology, it was my greatest desire to travel and study abroad. Having never traveled outside of the US and its neighboring countries (Mexico, Canada, and the Bahamas), I wanted to go somewhere far away and immerse myself in a culture that was completely different than what I had experienced before. It was with those ideals in mind that I chose to spend a semester in New Zealand studying Maori culture, traditional and modern.
Before leaving for New Zealand in June 2005, I had a general introduction to Maori religion through Dr. Hackett’s Anthropology of Religion course (RS 302). The section on Maori spirituality captivated me, as did reading Witi Ihimaera’s novel The Whale Rider. I was also fascinated by the fact that much of New Zealand’s commercial image was dominated by Maori ideas and symbols. Air New Zealand, the national air carrier, uses a female Maori facial moko (tattoo) as their symbol.
From the University of Otago, my host university in Dunedin, I was able to begin learning some basic te reo (language) and pronunciation, as well as gaining much valuable advice regarding where I needed to visit and people I should speak to. Much of my time on the South Island, my home for 6 months, was spent on research at the University, as the South Island Maori are typically less involved in their ancient traditions and wary of being seen as a tourist attraction if they are practicing. I did have the good fortune to meet a few local women who shared their stories with me and invited me into their hapū’s (sub-tribe) marae (meeting house).
These meeting houses are extremely important to the Maori. They are where almost all important events happen, including weddings, funerals, namings, feasts, celebrations, and cultural education. The marae itself is said to be an extension of the hapū’s most celebrated tipuna (ancestor); the rafters are his ribs, the front panels are his arms, and he is represented in the carved figurehead above the entrance. In this way, all ceremonies that take place within the marae take place within the loving embrace of the tipuna. As a manuhiri (visitor), to be invited in is an honor.
I also spent 2 weeks traveling the North Island doing my own research and simply meeting people and seeing the amazing sights. The North Island Maori are thought to be more tourism-driven, given that a lot of money is made from Maori concerts, dances, and attractions such as traditional pa sites (fortified villages). While you do have to fight through the tourist lines at some places, most of the experiences I had were very genuine. The shows are all done by Maori, in their traditional language, as they have been for centuries. Many more marae are open to the public on the North Island, especially around Rotorua, the center of the Maori tourist industry. Here you can also see a more modern approach to Maori spirituality, St. Faith’s Anglican Church. This church is an amazing example of Maori ideas being presented in the context of Christianity. St. Faith’s claim to fame is its amazing etched glass window depicting Jesus wearing a traditional Maori winter tunic, Lake Rotorua seen through the window as if he is actually walking on the lake. It is breathtaking.
The 6 months I spent in New Zealand were some of the most amazing experiences of my life. To be welcomed into a culture as rich as the Maori, to get to see first hand their fighting spirit and their determination to keep their culture alive and strong, was a very humbling and inspiring lesson. Now, more than ever, I know the path I’ve chosen is the right one for me.
E haere rā! (Goodbye)