by Angela

Kia Ora! (Hello!)… It’s the greeting kiwis use in emails.

I noticed it months ago while searching for areas to live here. I couldn’t pronounce any of the names of the areas- Onehunga, Otahuhu, Papotoetoe…

We picked New Zealand in part because it was English speaking. I didn’t expect to encounter so much Māori language. The Māori are the indigenous Polynesian people of mainland New Zealand and their influence is ubiquitous. Māori is one of three official languages in NZ aside from English and New Zealand Sign Language. This means that the majority of public signs are in both languages. Many things have Māori names. I normally feel at home in healthcare settings, but while walking through the hospital where Danny works, I immediately noticed I was surrounded by Māori words on all the signs and was surprised at how out of place I felt. The town that we live in- Maraetai, is a traditional name as well. And you’ll be glad to know, I figured out how to pronounce it- Muh-rhye-tie ;). I AM in another country so I shouldn’t be surprised at differences, but this Māori effect seems unusual to me, like it doesn’t quite fit into my American perspective. How does a minority group that was conquered have such an enormous influence? It makes me think about our own Native Americans, their scarcity, the poverty, the marginalization. What would America look like if the Native Americans influence was like the Māori influence here, blended and merged together? This thought lingers, it weighs on me, the sadness of what might have been, what might have survived. 

A week or so ago, while we were in our Airbnb in Mount Wellington, I was google maps surfing places nearby (particularly “green” places like parks) and came across Maungarei (aka Mount Wellington) as a nice place to walk around with a cool view. So we hopped in the car, drove 5 min up the road, parked in an unassuming little parking lot at the trailhead and started our walk up. It only took us 15-20 minutes to reach the top and the 360 degree views of Auckland were amazing. The crater in the middle reminded us that we were indeed standing on a volcano. A natural little mountain in the middle of a large city, it is unlike anything I have seen before. I recalled reading something about remnant volcanoes in Auckland. As it turns out, Auckland is built on a volcanic field and scattered within the Auckland area are these little mountains, 53 in total, that are extinct volcanoes. The mounds were important to the Māori people. As natural vantage points, tribes settled on them and fortified them. The mounds were considered sacred and apparently still are today. The mounds were taken over by Europeans but in 2014, 14 were returned to the Māori. They are referred to by their Māori name as “Maunga”. Standing on top of the Auckland Skytower, I was able to spot Mount Wellington.

Today, February 6th, was a national holiday here. Our normally empty little Maraetai beach was busy with sunbathers, swimmers, picnickers, and jet skiers. It was Waitangi Day which commemorates the treaty signed between the British Crown and Māori chiefs in 1840. This treaty founded New Zealand. According to my internet browsing, there is still conflict between the Māori and the government, it’s not all roses and sunshine.  But while the Native American story makes me sad, the Māori story leaves me feeling uplifted in comparison. 

Tomorrow the kids start their new schools! It is the start of the school year here. Something we have all been anticipating. I am praying for a smooth transition, for them to feel a sense of belonging, and for me not to be too anxious for them.