November 10
Waitangi Treaty Grounds
35°15′55″ S 174°4′55″ E
We awoke to overcast skies and mid-teens temperature. We had bought some fruit and granola for breakfast – mandarin oranges from Australia and large golden kiwis from New Zealand – very tasty! After breakfast in our suite overlooking the Bay of Islands, we took a 5 minute drive back to Opua.
The tall ships from Tuia 250 were docked at Opua wharf and they were an impressive sight!
They included a 105 foot replica of James Cook’s ship Endeavour from Australia;
The Spirit of New Zealand – 138 foot three masted ship from Auckland;
Haunui Waka – a double hulled Maori canoe from Auckland
and the 85 foot schooner R. Tucker Thompson from Opua.
We walked down to the end of the wharf to R. Tucker Thompson first and were greeted by a young woman from Victoria, British Columbia who has sailed extensively on the ship. It is a tourist boat in the winter and a youth sailing experience boat the rest of the year.
It wasn’t possible to get on the Maori waka and there was a big line-up at Spirit of New Zealand so we lined up to get aboard the Endeavour.
The replica was launched in 1993 and is constructed using traditional shipbuilding materials and methods where possible. The ship is just over 105 feet long with 28 sails on three masts and over 17km of rigging!
Under sail she has achieved 10 knots but averages only 4 knots so Santosha could outrun her if need be! Captain Cook would have been impressed!
It was a short visit but gave us plenty to think about – 90 men confined to a ship this size for months on end, with only the sun & stars in the sky to navigate by.
We couldn’t leave the harbour without a stroll by the 250 berth Opua Marina. Opua is the first port for overseas yachts arriving in New Zealand after crossing the Pacific so there were some magnificent boats, mostly sailboats, lots of catamarans, the stuff of dreams or winning the lottery!
After a full morning, we drove back to Paihia for a little rest and to get ready for the afternoon.
Catherine had pre-purchased tickets to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds for a guided tour, a cultural show and traditional hangi or dinner with another show in the evening. We were only 2 kms away from the historic site so it was an easy drive.
Waitangi is considered to be the birthplace of the country where the Maori chiefs and the British signed the first treaty that was supposed to protect the Maori and the resources of the country. But it didn’t turn out that way as there was a Maori version of the treaty and a British version and you can guess which version came out on top.
Here’s a link to the Waitangi website: https://www.waitangi.org.nz/
Check out the size of this Norfolk pine on the Treaty Grounds. Can you spot Catherine?
As with our own country, it’s a complicated relationship. There is much more credence given to Maori interpretation of history these days. The Maori have had a resurgence of their culture with the Maori language being declared an official language of New Zealand.
We were so impressed with the museum, the guided walk which included a stop at the 80 man waka (war canoe).
Check out the face carving on the bow of the boat (below).
We finished our tour at the carved meeting house for a cultural show with singing, dancing and traditional martial arts.
After the guided tour we went back to the museum again while we were waiting for the evening event – a Maori cultural show followed by a buffet dinner.
Our group was escorted to the cultural performance by a Maori guide. While we were walking through the jungle to the performance center we were met by 3 Maori warriors who first challenged the leaders of our group & then invited us to their meeting place. It was a very moving encounter.
It gave us a greater appreciation of what the first Europeans must have experienced.
The performers in the show were also amazing.
The dinner was delicious. Lamb & pork & chicken cooked in an earth oven & root vegetables.
This was a full day, so we would sleep well tonight!
Cheers!