November 25, 2008
The last few days have been so incredible I can't even begin to describe it.
First, we found Elwyn Richardson and had such an amazing time talking with a man who had known my family many years ago. He had such fond things to say about Boulder, Grandma, and everyone he met there and such sadness associated with it for having to leave it. He had a lot of very interesting stories to tell and was so welcoming to these three ragged Americans who just showed up on his doorstep unannounced. It truly was a special day.
Then we camped at a car park on one of the most amazing beaches...but they've all been amazing. It was called Piha. A real surf town with an amazing sunset. We were parked next to a little inlet with ducks and these little babies came right up to the car and played with us and ate out of our hands. Ari was lying on the ground and they climbed all over him. It was so cute!
The next day we made our way back to Auckland. To our fabulous "free" night at the Hilton Hotel out on the water. It was so nice. We all took nice hot long baths and the boys swam in the heated outdoor pool with a glass side that looked out into the bay. I saw Sir Roger Moore..he was staying at the hotel too. I saw him because his chauffeur started chatting me up in the lounge. The chauffeur's involved with a lot of tourism apparently and invited us to a Thanksgiving Dinner event this past Sunday with the American Ambassador and all these other Chancellors and people, but we would have had to pay and we were going to be out of town anyway.
Saturday morning, Ari and I went to the ferry building downstairs and met up with a group of about 30 people to go on the Maori Weekend. Which turned out to be one of the most amazing experiences of my life. These 30 people were some of the most amazingly cool people ever! We met Jen and Gentiana (we had met them earlier, but not gotten to know them) they work for the program we're on. Then we met Arne, Nana, Crisitan, Gianluca, Jasmine, Rocky, Natalie, the list goes on and on. All of these people are so amazingly unique and special and have some of the most profound worldly views I've ever experienced. We were taken by two people, Cailhee and Neille (Nail), the two owners of the company taking us on this trip out on a boat to Waiheke Island to a Marae there. A Marae is basically a Maori sacred area with meeting houses and it's tribe related. No one can just go to a Marae, you have to be invited. Since Cailhee is a descendant of a Chief that was married there, she is able to get invited and bring people. So, we went to the Marae and were ceremoniously greeted onto the land. We couldn't just walk in, we had to be called in when they were ready. Women int he center flanked by the men, everyone quietly walking in heads down while the Maori chanted and called us in. We then sat across a grass area from them, men in front and women in back. We then took turns singing chants to one another to show respect, honor the history and differences between us as well as honoring what was to come between us. We then were welcomed on to the land officially and we all had to line up to be greeted by each person of the tribe. The Maori ravear the head as sacred, so what this means is that you clasp arms and touch the tips of your noses and your foreheads together. It is a symbolic way of breathing in each other, acknowledging the life forces that exist between you and giving and taking a little of each other. When family haven't seen each other in a long while, they will often stand in this position for a very long time.
We then placed our bags outside the meeting house and were called into the townhouse by chanting for lunch. The food was blessed and then we all sat and eat and got to know one another. The nice thing about this tribe is that it's about the people and the culture, not the religion. It's like the Unitarian Universalist Maori tribe. That is why they are able to allow all of us to enter without proving lineage. Each person stood up and introduced themselves and said what they hoped to get out of the weekend. It was very much clear that this weekend would be everything we put into it. We were expected to participate fully in every aspect from cooking, to cleaning, to activities. I was on bathroom and dish duty way more than once. We went on guided walks, did flax weaving, poi dancing, singing, silk screening, cooking, general hanging out and talking and getting to know each other. It was so amazing because they weren't offended by our questions and open to answering anything and politely correcting us when we verged on offense because they recognized that we were coming with no knowledge and we were there to learn. And they did teach...very well. I learned so much about the history of the Maori people, the way they think, why they think certain things. I told them about certain things I'd seen or been told and they were very eager to correct or explain and clarify anything. IT was really great. The first night we participated in a Hangi. Basically, we dug a big hole in the ground. Then we put big logs around the bottom to make a square. Then all kinds of big and little rocks, lava rocks and other rocks. Then around that we put all kinds of other sticks with particular types of wood for the types of flavor the smoke makes. The fire burned for about 3 hours making the rocks very very hot. Meanwhile we were busy cutting and preparing metal baskets lined with tinfoil with lamb, beef, chicken, potatoes, carrots, kumara, everything. After 3 hours, they pulled out all the bigger sticks and spread out the rocks evenly in the log square. Once this was even, they put metal grates over the rocks and then put the baskets of food covered in tinfoil over the grates. Red meat on the bottom, then chicken, then veggies. At this point, there was nearly any fire left, it was mostly just very hot rocks. They then took wet cloths like tablecloths and layed those over the baskets so that the rocks steamed. Then they took wet mud covered cloth potato sacks and covered the cloths. The final thing was to take the dirt and cover the whole thing so that there was no steam escaping anywhere. The food then steamed for 4 hours. We did all kinds of things during this time like learning the Haka (war dance), rowing a Waka (canoe), and just getting to know people like Millie and Robert (Maori husband and wife who came to help teach us things and are two of the kindest, loving souls I will every meet). We spent a lot of time talking with Neille and Cailhee. They run two businesses out of their home. One is a consulting company because Cailhee used to work for Ernst and Young...so she and Ari had a lot to talk about. And the other is Time Limited (www.timelimited.co.nz) which is the tour company that does Maori time and also does fishing and hiking adventures. Neille invented a form of Kite Fishing and people call him and ask him to take them out for weekend private trips for Kite Fishing, or Kayak fishing, or fly fishing, or anything. He has said the next time we're in Auckland or he's in an area we're in, he'll bring extra poles and tools and we can join in whenever.
We all slept in the meeting house on mattresses on the floor. I forgot to mention after 4 hours, we dug out the Hangi and at some of the most delicious food I'd ever eaten in my life. And while we were waiting I helped make Fry Bread!!! I was really wishing I'd brought my Frybread shirt that day. But I didn't tell anyone the FlyBread story.
Anyway, that night in the meeting home with about 49 other people sleeping in the same room, was the best night's sleep of the entire trip here in New Zealand. It really was such a heart-warming, special event. We were welcomed in as part of a family and the joy that everyone found in it was intoxicating. Of course you had the couple people who were just sort of stuck up and snotty, but everyone recognized it and just maneuvered around them and left them alone to be that way.
Girl Scouts came in handy because I had learned Poi dancing way back then for some silly badge, so when it came to learning poi dancing everyone was so amazed like "how did she pick that up so quickly?". In the beginning of the day we had been divided into four groups and that is how we were assigned duties and then we were also told there would be a Maori Idol show in groups. My group came up with everyone singing the first two lines of their national anthem. Another group did a Maori song and dance. Then Ari's group did the charades game where people act out household appliances and the audience guesses what you are. Ari made very good dirt. :)
Everyone was given the same score, so we had to have a tie breaker. So, the judges picked the Poi dance we had learned as a tie breaker. Each team was to pick the person they thought was the best on their team and that person had to do the best one they could with what we had learned. A very weighted challenge since I already knew the dance! But the two other people, Arne and Gentiana, were so awesome with theirs stylistically, I thought they should have won. Mine was apparently bad word fueled, but I was so focused on my movements I wasn't thinking about things coming out of my mouth and I am quite embarrassed by it, but everyone had a good laugh. Anyway, I won it for my team..Quite proud of myself.
We came back Sunday evening on a very rocky boat ride with Jen almost falling off and some of the dirties funniest conversation I've ever been in. When we got off the boat it was rainy and gross and we were all so sad to leave, so we went to a bar together instead of parting ways. It was really great and we all exchanged numbers. Jen is going back to Canada on Wednesday (tomorrow now) and we were so sad to have only just now gotten to know her because she really is an amazing person) and so she let us know she was going to have a pub meet celebration because on Monday she was also finally getting her permanent residency. So instead of leaving, we decided to stick around one more day. We were going to try and find a hostel, but then Cailhee and Neille called and said they didn't like the idea of us staying in the van in the weather and insisted we head to their house in devenport and stay the night. That is just a perfect example of NEw Zealanders (well, Neille's an Irish German by birth). They have only known us 48 hours and welcomed us into their home and let me do laundry and get on their internet to do homework and made us breakfast..it was so kind. They are amazing people.
Not to toot our own horn, but we really were part of the favorite group and I don't mean that in a snobby way, but we really made an effort to meet people and really gave a part of us to everyone and we received a part of them back. One of the Maori tribe invited us to come and stay with him whenever, said his buddy has a vineyard and he'll get us a job, and another woman said we could come stay with her and just help with daycare or housework.
So, we stuck around and went out last night for Jen's going away party. It was so amazingly fun! One of the best times here still. Everyone was SO drunk and I just documented it all :) These people are just so funny and warm and likeable and I'm so appreciative that I've gotten to know them and that I can, after only 3 days, call them my lifelong friends.
Anyway, Mitch didn't make it home to the hotel last night...haha...so we've stuck around one more day. Tomorrow we are heading out again for real. Two more weeks and then we'll be back in Auckland. This time we're heading a bit south. Coromandel, Napier, Taupo, ending in Raglan and a Surfari..no joke..that's what it's called. Then back to Auckland for a couple days. Then we'll pick a spot and stay there. And Gentiana is already arranging our New Years Trip. She has a connection to an awesome lodge and we will be hiking the Tongariro Crossing. It's an 11 hour hike, but it'll be a great way to start off the new year! :)
Anyway, it's 5pm, IEP is closing, Gentiana (who's from Aspen) is letting us stay the night with her and I'm being kicked off the computer. So...
I'm glad to have finally made it in to do a real post!
We're having a great time!
I miss everyone and I love everyone!!
Happy Thanksgiving week!!!
xoxo
Alissa
First, we found Elwyn Richardson and had such an amazing time talking with a man who had known my family many years ago. He had such fond things to say about Boulder, Grandma, and everyone he met there and such sadness associated with it for having to leave it. He had a lot of very interesting stories to tell and was so welcoming to these three ragged Americans who just showed up on his doorstep unannounced. It truly was a special day.
Then we camped at a car park on one of the most amazing beaches...but they've all been amazing. It was called Piha. A real surf town with an amazing sunset. We were parked next to a little inlet with ducks and these little babies came right up to the car and played with us and ate out of our hands. Ari was lying on the ground and they climbed all over him. It was so cute!
The next day we made our way back to Auckland. To our fabulous "free" night at the Hilton Hotel out on the water. It was so nice. We all took nice hot long baths and the boys swam in the heated outdoor pool with a glass side that looked out into the bay. I saw Sir Roger Moore..he was staying at the hotel too. I saw him because his chauffeur started chatting me up in the lounge. The chauffeur's involved with a lot of tourism apparently and invited us to a Thanksgiving Dinner event this past Sunday with the American Ambassador and all these other Chancellors and people, but we would have had to pay and we were going to be out of town anyway.
Saturday morning, Ari and I went to the ferry building downstairs and met up with a group of about 30 people to go on the Maori Weekend. Which turned out to be one of the most amazing experiences of my life. These 30 people were some of the most amazingly cool people ever! We met Jen and Gentiana (we had met them earlier, but not gotten to know them) they work for the program we're on. Then we met Arne, Nana, Crisitan, Gianluca, Jasmine, Rocky, Natalie, the list goes on and on. All of these people are so amazingly unique and special and have some of the most profound worldly views I've ever experienced. We were taken by two people, Cailhee and Neille (Nail), the two owners of the company taking us on this trip out on a boat to Waiheke Island to a Marae there. A Marae is basically a Maori sacred area with meeting houses and it's tribe related. No one can just go to a Marae, you have to be invited. Since Cailhee is a descendant of a Chief that was married there, she is able to get invited and bring people. So, we went to the Marae and were ceremoniously greeted onto the land. We couldn't just walk in, we had to be called in when they were ready. Women int he center flanked by the men, everyone quietly walking in heads down while the Maori chanted and called us in. We then sat across a grass area from them, men in front and women in back. We then took turns singing chants to one another to show respect, honor the history and differences between us as well as honoring what was to come between us. We then were welcomed on to the land officially and we all had to line up to be greeted by each person of the tribe. The Maori ravear the head as sacred, so what this means is that you clasp arms and touch the tips of your noses and your foreheads together. It is a symbolic way of breathing in each other, acknowledging the life forces that exist between you and giving and taking a little of each other. When family haven't seen each other in a long while, they will often stand in this position for a very long time.
We then placed our bags outside the meeting house and were called into the townhouse by chanting for lunch. The food was blessed and then we all sat and eat and got to know one another. The nice thing about this tribe is that it's about the people and the culture, not the religion. It's like the Unitarian Universalist Maori tribe. That is why they are able to allow all of us to enter without proving lineage. Each person stood up and introduced themselves and said what they hoped to get out of the weekend. It was very much clear that this weekend would be everything we put into it. We were expected to participate fully in every aspect from cooking, to cleaning, to activities. I was on bathroom and dish duty way more than once. We went on guided walks, did flax weaving, poi dancing, singing, silk screening, cooking, general hanging out and talking and getting to know each other. It was so amazing because they weren't offended by our questions and open to answering anything and politely correcting us when we verged on offense because they recognized that we were coming with no knowledge and we were there to learn. And they did teach...very well. I learned so much about the history of the Maori people, the way they think, why they think certain things. I told them about certain things I'd seen or been told and they were very eager to correct or explain and clarify anything. IT was really great. The first night we participated in a Hangi. Basically, we dug a big hole in the ground. Then we put big logs around the bottom to make a square. Then all kinds of big and little rocks, lava rocks and other rocks. Then around that we put all kinds of other sticks with particular types of wood for the types of flavor the smoke makes. The fire burned for about 3 hours making the rocks very very hot. Meanwhile we were busy cutting and preparing metal baskets lined with tinfoil with lamb, beef, chicken, potatoes, carrots, kumara, everything. After 3 hours, they pulled out all the bigger sticks and spread out the rocks evenly in the log square. Once this was even, they put metal grates over the rocks and then put the baskets of food covered in tinfoil over the grates. Red meat on the bottom, then chicken, then veggies. At this point, there was nearly any fire left, it was mostly just very hot rocks. They then took wet cloths like tablecloths and layed those over the baskets so that the rocks steamed. Then they took wet mud covered cloth potato sacks and covered the cloths. The final thing was to take the dirt and cover the whole thing so that there was no steam escaping anywhere. The food then steamed for 4 hours. We did all kinds of things during this time like learning the Haka (war dance), rowing a Waka (canoe), and just getting to know people like Millie and Robert (Maori husband and wife who came to help teach us things and are two of the kindest, loving souls I will every meet). We spent a lot of time talking with Neille and Cailhee. They run two businesses out of their home. One is a consulting company because Cailhee used to work for Ernst and Young...so she and Ari had a lot to talk about. And the other is Time Limited (www.timelimited.co.nz) which is the tour company that does Maori time and also does fishing and hiking adventures. Neille invented a form of Kite Fishing and people call him and ask him to take them out for weekend private trips for Kite Fishing, or Kayak fishing, or fly fishing, or anything. He has said the next time we're in Auckland or he's in an area we're in, he'll bring extra poles and tools and we can join in whenever.
We all slept in the meeting house on mattresses on the floor. I forgot to mention after 4 hours, we dug out the Hangi and at some of the most delicious food I'd ever eaten in my life. And while we were waiting I helped make Fry Bread!!! I was really wishing I'd brought my Frybread shirt that day. But I didn't tell anyone the FlyBread story.
Anyway, that night in the meeting home with about 49 other people sleeping in the same room, was the best night's sleep of the entire trip here in New Zealand. It really was such a heart-warming, special event. We were welcomed in as part of a family and the joy that everyone found in it was intoxicating. Of course you had the couple people who were just sort of stuck up and snotty, but everyone recognized it and just maneuvered around them and left them alone to be that way.
Girl Scouts came in handy because I had learned Poi dancing way back then for some silly badge, so when it came to learning poi dancing everyone was so amazed like "how did she pick that up so quickly?". In the beginning of the day we had been divided into four groups and that is how we were assigned duties and then we were also told there would be a Maori Idol show in groups. My group came up with everyone singing the first two lines of their national anthem. Another group did a Maori song and dance. Then Ari's group did the charades game where people act out household appliances and the audience guesses what you are. Ari made very good dirt. :)
Everyone was given the same score, so we had to have a tie breaker. So, the judges picked the Poi dance we had learned as a tie breaker. Each team was to pick the person they thought was the best on their team and that person had to do the best one they could with what we had learned. A very weighted challenge since I already knew the dance! But the two other people, Arne and Gentiana, were so awesome with theirs stylistically, I thought they should have won. Mine was apparently bad word fueled, but I was so focused on my movements I wasn't thinking about things coming out of my mouth and I am quite embarrassed by it, but everyone had a good laugh. Anyway, I won it for my team..Quite proud of myself.
We came back Sunday evening on a very rocky boat ride with Jen almost falling off and some of the dirties funniest conversation I've ever been in. When we got off the boat it was rainy and gross and we were all so sad to leave, so we went to a bar together instead of parting ways. It was really great and we all exchanged numbers. Jen is going back to Canada on Wednesday (tomorrow now) and we were so sad to have only just now gotten to know her because she really is an amazing person) and so she let us know she was going to have a pub meet celebration because on Monday she was also finally getting her permanent residency. So instead of leaving, we decided to stick around one more day. We were going to try and find a hostel, but then Cailhee and Neille called and said they didn't like the idea of us staying in the van in the weather and insisted we head to their house in devenport and stay the night. That is just a perfect example of NEw Zealanders (well, Neille's an Irish German by birth). They have only known us 48 hours and welcomed us into their home and let me do laundry and get on their internet to do homework and made us breakfast..it was so kind. They are amazing people.
Not to toot our own horn, but we really were part of the favorite group and I don't mean that in a snobby way, but we really made an effort to meet people and really gave a part of us to everyone and we received a part of them back. One of the Maori tribe invited us to come and stay with him whenever, said his buddy has a vineyard and he'll get us a job, and another woman said we could come stay with her and just help with daycare or housework.
So, we stuck around and went out last night for Jen's going away party. It was so amazingly fun! One of the best times here still. Everyone was SO drunk and I just documented it all :) These people are just so funny and warm and likeable and I'm so appreciative that I've gotten to know them and that I can, after only 3 days, call them my lifelong friends.
Anyway, Mitch didn't make it home to the hotel last night...haha...so we've stuck around one more day. Tomorrow we are heading out again for real. Two more weeks and then we'll be back in Auckland. This time we're heading a bit south. Coromandel, Napier, Taupo, ending in Raglan and a Surfari..no joke..that's what it's called. Then back to Auckland for a couple days. Then we'll pick a spot and stay there. And Gentiana is already arranging our New Years Trip. She has a connection to an awesome lodge and we will be hiking the Tongariro Crossing. It's an 11 hour hike, but it'll be a great way to start off the new year! :)
Anyway, it's 5pm, IEP is closing, Gentiana (who's from Aspen) is letting us stay the night with her and I'm being kicked off the computer. So...
I'm glad to have finally made it in to do a real post!
We're having a great time!
I miss everyone and I love everyone!!
Happy Thanksgiving week!!!
xoxo
Alissa
posted by Alissa and Ari at
7:11 PM
3 Comments:
What an amazing story you are living, and told so eloquently, with such zest, compassion and humility. After reading the Maori story, I couldn't believe I read that you're next heading out for two more weeks on the road... Thanks so much for the wonderful posts, sweetheart.
much love (from Denver, for Thanksgiving, where we will miss you).
Love,
Dad
Hi Alissa,
What an unbelievable weekend. That sounds like such a great experience! I'm not surprised you and Ari are making friends...you're both fun, likeable people and we miss you here in SF!
Do you think you'll take the Maori man up on his invitation to work on the vineyard? Do you have an idea of where you'll want to settle down, or is it still totally up in the air?
Things are the same here - lots of hanging out. I am getting stronger, which is really nice. Yesterday I walked all the way to Ghirardelli Square. I did have to stop at Starbucks for a rest and a Chai Latte on the way back, but I did it! I'll be starting back at work in another week and a half. That will be so strange after 7 weeks of sleeping in and being lazy all day.
Happy (early) Thanksgiving! Will you be doing anything special Thurs?
Take care,
Spartos
happy belated thanksgiving, my favorite nomads! your adventure just keeps getting better and better. i am now telling YOUR stories while with friends!
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