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Log
of S/V High Drama
No.12
Aotearoa: New Zealand
Land of the Long White Cloud
April
2002
G’day,
mates! Kia Ora!
Welcome back to the continuing
saga life on and now off High Drama. This rendition
of the Log of High Drama describes the Bay of Islands
in the North Island of New Zealand and follows our short trip down
the coast to the Auckland area. We describe some of our experiences
in Aotearoa, the Land of the Long White Cloud, and we touch on aspects
of our visit to the United States. Welcome aboard again! As always,
let us hear from you on all subjects. Please write to us until May
at: HighDrama@xtra.co.nz
We plan to be back at sea in late May. Then please write to us at:
or .
New
Zealand
This
tiny country houses 3.8 million very independent people who open
their hearts to visitors. Although the country now hosts predominantly
people of European descent, known as Pakehas, there is a very large
and politically powerful Maori minority. Similarly, since New Zealand
governed the Cook Islands and Nuie, these Polynesians have dual
citizenship and more live in New Zealand than in their home islands.
Many Tongans and Fijians also live here.
The Polynesians first
settled New Zealand after leaving Raiatea in French Polynesia in
large sea-going canoes in about 1000 AD. They named the two islands
Aotearoa, Land of the Long White Cloud. The Maoris, as the Polynesian
settlers were later named, found excellent fishing but no mammals
to hunt. They did find a large (9 feet tall) flightless bird, the
moa, now extinct, that they hunted for food. Because the climate
was colder than the tropical area the Maoris left, agriculture was
slow to develop. Competition for food led to tribal wars and cannibalism.
Dutch explorer Abel Tasman
is credited with the European discovery of New Zealand in 1642,
which he named after the Netherlands province of Zeeland. After
three of Tasman’s men were killed when they attempted to land, Tasman
quickly left. The Maoris’ reputation as fierce warriors continues
today. For example, before rugby and soccer games the Maori players
do a haka or war dance to intimidate the opposition. Sometimes
it works.
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