Kiwi Encounter = EXTREME

Rugby League Scrum Action: Vodafone Warriors vs the Cowboys

So much to write so little internet cafe time.

I'm back from the 'bush' ey, quite the experience. Our host organization was CVNZ, and our guide aka 'Diver Dan' was a great guy from the begininng. We got to Ngatuhoa lodge in the Kai Mai Ranges on the North Island (west of Auckland) and man o man was it beautiful out there. Our first day we got acquainted to the place and then we started our work. Most of our time would be spent clearing hiking trails of overgrown vegetation and also clearing up shrubs cut from the Department of Conservation Workers (DOC) using shrub cutters. Our participants definitely learned a lot about trail maintenance and how much work (e.g. from volunteers) it takes to keep them safe for people to enjoy; but it also has another effect, it keeps people from walking off the tracks and damaging the environment by 'trail blazing.'

On our third day there we got to experience something really special, this is something not many people even within NZ get to experience. We got to participate in a traditional Maori ceremony or 'powhiri'. This is where the visiting tribe is 'called' upon by an elder that is asking the ancestors for their permission to allow the tribe onto the land. It is a very sacred ceremony and is usually performed only for special visitors. We were part of the visiting tribe that was coming to pay their respects to the kiwi. The traditional speeches took place between the elders of both tribes and they spoke of us as the 'visitors from across the globe' and that they were delighted to have us there to share on that special day. Of course none of us understood the native Maori that was being said but one of the ladies was nice enough to translate a few parts for me.

After the ceremony was complete we were invited in for tea and a small buffet of delicoius pastries and other great little bites to eat. I had a soup called a 'boiler' which is a traditional soup they serve here, warmed me right up. We sat and ate a little longer then we went back into the communal room to learn more about the kiwi form the DOC representatives. We learned that they were removing the last two known kiwi birds from the area and placing them on a predator free island in the North East of NZ (the birds are endangered and have satellite trackers attached to them). The birds are quite unique as they are nocturnal, have their nostrils at the end of their beak which they use to feel for vibrations from worms/grub in the ground, and they are quite large. Females lay only one egg at a time, they are each 15-20% of their body weight. After the presentation one of the local Maori Representatives from the host tribe inquired about the official long term relationship with DOC and the tribes. He asked what guarantee they would have that DOC would return the birds and whether or not they would have any say in the matter. The DOC Reps however did not have a concrete answer, we also learned that there was no official agreement that they could take the kiwi out; it got tense in the room as a few more local members questioned DOC about issues relating to the Kiwi and their return.

It was very special to see this happening in front of us because the Maori people have been trying to fight to regain their rights to the land they lost to the 'crown' or the British. It is a tough situation because the scientists/DOC reps are trying to save the birds, the Maori hold them sacred and want to save them too but they can't agree on how to do it. Both sides want access to them but pride, research, and distrust have stalled negotiations. It was great to see the questions flying back and forth but also to hear that the two sides were working together to have a long term plan for the area and possible reintroduciton of Kiwi's into it once predators are removed. It showed the requirement of community involvement, community education/awareness and community development in changing the current state of relationships between DOC/the government and the local Maori.

The Kiwi birds were then brought in by DOC officials and they were 'called' in just as we were. The two tribes treated the Kiwi's as their ancestors so the ceremony was even more sacred. Emotions were high, you could hear it in the voices of the elders and see it in the faces of the people in the room; tears were shed, voices trembled, you could feel the energy in the room shift, just as all eyes fell upon the two boxes that the birds were brought in with. Once the final words were spoken the DOC officials showed us the female bird very briefly; there was a chance that she was pregnant so they did not want to scare or add stress to her already long journey. Since the birds are nocturnal they would normally be sleeping at that time. We were told not to use flash photography if we were going to take pictures, of course not everyone did that. It was truly amazing seeing such a rare bird up close and personal. Words cannot describe the way I felt at that moment. It was such an amazing day .
Myself getting super excited to see a live Kiwi!!!!!!! SWEET!

Later in the week we got to go hiking to a very very beautiful Waterfall in the forest. I'll get the name of it when I get back next week. I have a lot of stuff to say and update you all on as this last week has been a great experience to start off my adventures here in NZ; My time is short though so I will have to leave you all with this shot that I love because of the setting. I had a similar experience in Belize where I just felt at peace with the world, nature and myself.

Take care, keep in touch (skype usernames please ;),

Cheers,
Tyler