Friday, April 30, 2010

Maori culture in everyday life


Every other week, Miss M's school has an open assembly where they sing and present awards to students for good behaviour, learning and sport accomplishments and other noteworthy deeds. The assembly is always started off with singing the New Zealand national anthem. It is first sung in Maori and then in English (and by a few, in NZ sign language). These are the 3 official languages of New Zealand (Aotearoa). Here is the first verse to the anthem:

Māori Version

E Ihowā Atua,
O ngā iwi mātou rā
Āta whakarangona;
Me aroha noa
Kia hua ko te pai;
Kia tau tō atawhai;
Manaakitia mai
Aotearoa

English Version

God of Nations at Thy feet,
In the bonds of love we meet,
Hear our voices, we entreat,
God defend our free land.
Guard Pacific's triple star
From the shafts of strife and war,
Make her praises heard afar,
God defend New Zealand.

This isn't the best video so skip it if you like. You can see one of the teachers and some of the children doing the sign language version of the anthem which is cool:





Miss M got a "Principal's Award" today for "excellent story writing" and so she was presented with a special sparkly pencil:


Miss M doesn't watch a whole lot of TV but some days after school we will let her turn it on to watch cartoons. Lately, though, I find her clicking through the channels to find the Maori channel (yep! There is one!) and she will sit and watch kids programs or a cultural program in Maori and she is just utterly fascinated.

She continues to learn some Maori at school and I hear her singing songs in Maori at home. How cool is that?

Monday, April 26, 2010

Sea lions, Albatross and Oystercatchers, oh my! Otago Peninsula Part Tres

And a few more of the greatest hits of our weekend:



This is a Hooker's Sea Lion at Sandfly Bay. We kept our distance though I think Mr. W was ready to run up and hug him:

And the piece de resistance, the Royal Albatross. This guy (or gal) flew about 20 feet over our heads. There were also numerous Spotted Shags (cormorants) and some Royal Spoonbills on this cliff- a birder's delight!
The Royal Albatross Center was well-done and I spent a lot of time reading the interpretive signs to Miss M, who after hearing about these magnificent birds, decided to donate one of her gold coins to the center.

Castles, Toy trains and Epic Views, oh my! Otago Peninsula Trip Part Deux


Our little cabin was on a working farm so we awoke to roosters cock-a-doodle-dooing and sheep baaing each morning. There was also a mini train that the kids got to ride on (and Mike had to push):

We visited a castle, Larnach Castle to be exact:

We frolicked in the gardens and had incredible views of the peninsula:

Oamaru, Moeraki and Dunedin, oh my! Otago Peninsula Trip Part 1





We had a fabulous trip down the east coast to Dunedin and the Otago Peninsula a few weekends ago. I would have to say it ranks as one of our best trips so far. First stop: Oamaru and Moeraki where we saw the Moeraki boulders (above). These boulders are perfectly round and mostly smooth and really are a freak show. Some were cracked open and had mini-tide pools in them. They are beautiful really and, as the link above describes, are quite special to the Maori people.


Oamaru is home to some yellow-eyed penguins:



We saw about 10 or so float in on the waves and waddle up the beach and disappear into the "bush". Fascinating little critters and to think, this is one of the only places in the world where you can see these penguins, unless you happen to visit some of the sub-antarctic islands. They are endangered due to the destruction of their habitat by humans.

Then on to Dunedin and the Otago Peninsula. We stayed at a lovely little cabin that overlooked the harbor.