I woke up early this morning, ate quickly, and packed my raincoat. The walk downtown to the bus station was white with fog and I became slightly disoriented coming off the overpass. I caught the bus with time to spare, but the bus driver didn't know what street I was talking about - Kitemoana? I don't think it was just my pronunciation. A random guy on the bus knew what I was talking about, especially after I told him I was going to the Orakei Marae. So I payed and sat down, knowing I was at least heading in the right direction. I chatted briefly with the guy that knew what was going on and then watched the water and boats slide by. When we started nearing my destination the bus driver finally realized what I was talking about and let me off directly across from my street - just like the computer directions told me it would.
I meandered up the curvacious road, taking pictures of the skytower rising out of the fog - looking like a UFO about to land in the city - and of big black birds that reminded me of overlarge ducks with chicken legs. The birds had a beautiful blue sheen to parts of them. I had no problem finding the Marae, though a couple in a car with their children stopped and asked me for directions before I'd even arrived.
So at 9:20am I was 10 minutes early for the planting and reforestation of this native land. I looked around at the park-like expanse of green overlooking the sea and then headed back to find somebody that knew what was going on. A nice lady walked me over to where other people were also waiting to start work. I talked to a man with a clipboard and found out that he was the instructor for the group of young muslims enrolled in a leadership course. This was their community service and last class. The boys kicked a soccer ball around, the girls stood aside talking to themselves. I talked with the leader (originally from Egypt) for a while and then found myself with a soccer ball going past me. I made the comment that "I'm not that quick" as an excuse for not kicking it back. That got one guy to introduce everybody (I won't even try to remember the names) and I found myself included in the circle of soccer ball kicking. The girls had been coaxed into it too. It was fun to watch the boys try to do all their soccer tricks, and I didn't manage embaress myself to much.
Eventually enough people had arrived that we were gathered together and given a welcom in Maori. We were then led to a large area of ground that had some large plants already thriving, but many more small plants laid out waiting to be planted. Our mission was to plant 11,000 marsh plants in an effort to restore the land to habitat for birds. I was worried that the boots I had finally taken out of the hostel (no returning them now!) would not be up to the match of working in a wet land - the people that had done this before were in "gum" (rubber) boots. However, the land was muddy, but not soggy. We were given a quick demonstration of what height to plant the harakiki (unsure of spelling) and then we were each given a set of gloves and a spade. I spent the morning talking with various volunteers and planting the flax foliage that would later be harvested for native weaving. I met many happy people and never needed my rain jacket. It was a very beautiful day.
In my conversations I learned that I was actually standing on Bastion Point! Bastion Point was always Maori land, but had been loaned to the government during WWII. The government, of course, never gave it back. 30 years ago the government was set to start building rich houses on the land and the people of the land weren't going to stand for it. They set up camp and started a protest. The Auckland library has a gallery of pictures and enlarged newspaper articles displayed to commemorate what happened 30 years ago. It was neat to put a location to the name I'd seen.
Near the end of the planting (they actually had to bring 2 more cart loads out because we had planted the 11,000 in less than 3 hours! - There were a quite a few people) I met a lovely elder lady. She pretty much adopted me, calling me Miss Mel and telling me about the best planting to come to - during a moon cycle when they do the food up in the ground (similiar to Hawai'ian cooking, but also different). I rode back to the buildings on the back of the cart with Elizabeth and her granddaughter. I ate lunch with Elizabeth, I was included in a group picture with Elizabeth and her Japanese group, and I exchanged contact info with Elizabeth so she can have me over for dinner some time. She was such a nice lady - half Maori, with a lovely granddaughter - half Japanese. She was at the Bastion Point protests.
I was offered a ride by a woman I had talked to during the planting, Christine. We exchanged contact info too. By the time I left the Marae I had many flowers tucked into my headband - they had been given to me by Elizabeth's granddaughter.
I meandered up the curvacious road, taking pictures of the skytower rising out of the fog - looking like a UFO about to land in the city - and of big black birds that reminded me of overlarge ducks with chicken legs. The birds had a beautiful blue sheen to parts of them. I had no problem finding the Marae, though a couple in a car with their children stopped and asked me for directions before I'd even arrived.So at 9:20am I was 10 minutes early for the planting and reforestation of this native land. I looked around at the park-like expanse of green overlooking the sea and then headed back to find somebody that knew what was going on. A nice lady walked me over to where other people were also waiting to start work. I talked to a man with a clipboard and found out that he was the instructor for the group of young muslims enrolled in a leadership course. This was their community service and last class. The boys kicked a soccer ball around, the girls stood aside talking to themselves. I talked with the leader (originally from Egypt) for a while and then found myself with a soccer ball going past me. I made the comment that "I'm not that quick" as an excuse for not kicking it back. That got one guy to introduce everybody (I won't even try to remember the names) and I found myself included in the circle of soccer ball kicking. The girls had been coaxed into it too. It was fun to watch the boys try to do all their soccer tricks, and I didn't manage embaress myself to much.
Eventually enough people had arrived that we were gathered together and given a welcom in Maori. We were then led to a large area of ground that had some large plants already thriving, but many more small plants laid out waiting to be planted. Our mission was to plant 11,000 marsh plants in an effort to restore the land to habitat for birds. I was worried that the boots I had finally taken out of the hostel (no returning them now!) would not be up to the match of working in a wet land - the people that had done this before were in "gum" (rubber) boots. However, the land was muddy, but not soggy. We were given a quick demonstration of what height to plant the harakiki (unsure of spelling) and then we were each given a set of gloves and a spade. I spent the morning talking with various volunteers and planting the flax foliage that would later be harvested for native weaving. I met many happy people and never needed my rain jacket. It was a very beautiful day.
In my conversations I learned that I was actually standing on Bastion Point! Bastion Point was always Maori land, but had been loaned to the government during WWII. The government, of course, never gave it back. 30 years ago the government was set to start building rich houses on the land and the people of the land weren't going to stand for it. They set up camp and started a protest. The Auckland library has a gallery of pictures and enlarged newspaper articles displayed to commemorate what happened 30 years ago. It was neat to put a location to the name I'd seen.
Near the end of the planting (they actually had to bring 2 more cart loads out because we had planted the 11,000 in less than 3 hours! - There were a quite a few people) I met a lovely elder lady. She pretty much adopted me, calling me Miss Mel and telling me about the best planting to come to - during a moon cycle when they do the food up in the ground (similiar to Hawai'ian cooking, but also different). I rode back to the buildings on the back of the cart with Elizabeth and her granddaughter. I ate lunch with Elizabeth, I was included in a group picture with Elizabeth and her Japanese group, and I exchanged contact info with Elizabeth so she can have me over for dinner some time. She was such a nice lady - half Maori, with a lovely granddaughter - half Japanese. She was at the Bastion Point protests.
I was offered a ride by a woman I had talked to during the planting, Christine. We exchanged contact info too. By the time I left the Marae I had many flowers tucked into my headband - they had been given to me by Elizabeth's granddaughter.
1 comment:
Even though you told us all this on the phone, it was still very interesting to read. And yes I did have to register in order to comment. No cost. Love Dad.
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