Dreaming of Koru

  • Blog Post #4: Te Tiriti o Waitangi

    This blog post deals with my experience in the Bay of Islands and my thoughts on the Treaty of Waitangi.

    As one walks in the Bay of Islands, the scenery captivates the senses. Paihia is a charming little town with quaint, little shops and restaurants. My experience there was very pleasant and enjoyable. Across the bay, I was able to see islands and coastlines on the horizon. There are ferries that traverse the bay and take visitors across the water to Russell (Kororāreka). Russell is an absolutely calm and pretty, little town. It’s rich in historical significance and, as a lover of history, I was quite excited to be there. Once known as Kororāreka, it’s of major historical significance for New Zealand. It’s hard to imagine that at one time Russell was known as the “Hell Hole of the Pacific.” As more Europeans made their presence known in New Zealand and the South Pacific, Russell came to be the major port where sailors and other travelers would anchor and let loose after months of sailing across the oceans. 

    Me in Russell in front of a tree that was surely standing in 1840.

    On the other side of the Bay is Waitangi. This is the site where 185 years ago the Treaty of Waitangi (Te Tiriti o Waitangi) was signed. In terms of its historical significance, this place is the most prominent in New Zealand history. What happened here in 1840 has had significant reverberations throughout the history of the country. Te Tiriti, as it’s also known, continues to be debated on its influence in New Zealand life. 

    In the last couple of months I’ve attempted to understand Te Tiriti and immerse myself in its history and significance for New Zealand today. Last November, I watched in the news with curiosity as the Hīkoi protests made their way across the North Island to Wellington to protest the Treaty Principles Bill, a bill introduced by the right-wing coalition government that would redefine the principles of Te Tiriti. With the help of books and a very spectacular trip to Waitangi, I’ve gained a better understanding and appreciation of the history of Te Tiriti and the Māori struggle for the recognition of their rights. 

    Waitangi Flagstaff

    The more I study Te Tiriti, the more I’m aware of how complicated it is to understand its meaning, different interpretations today, and the intentions of the figures who played a part in its drafting and promotion. Te Tiriti was a product of the ideologies of its time, but also of the fears felt by those who signed and considered it. The influence of the missionaries and their view of how indigenous people should be treated was one of the most influential factors in the emergence of Te Tiriti. They encouraged Māori to sign the treaty for their own good because they saw the danger other Europeans posed, both lawless individuals and settler groups hungry for land. I find this and the different views historians have produced very fascinating. (Historian Ruth Ross claims that Henry Williams and the missionaries were not so benevolent as they seemed and that they had deliberately mistranslated the Te Tiriti.) Furthermore, British concerns that France would claim New Zealand before them pushed them to create Te Tiriti to make New Zealand a British colony. The drafting and translation of Te Tiriti took place in a few days, so many misunderstandings and translation issues abound to this day.

    At Waitangi, I saw James Busby’s house and the famous lawn where all the chiefs gathered on February 6, 1840 to discuss and sign Te Tiriti. As the sun brightly shone and the wind blew, I imagined how all those gathered on that day might have experienced the scenery. It must have been quite the sight as numerous wakas landed ashore and the chiefs gathered on the lawn. I imagined how Lieutenant Governor William Hobson, British Resident James Busby, and the missionary Henry Williams went about making preparations for the event. As a lover of history, I absorb the facts from books and let the scenery fill me with awe and wonder for the lives that went before us.

    James Busby’s house

  • Blog Post #3: Crossing the North Island

    This blog post deals with my observations and thoughts on my journey across the North Island, from Auckland to Wellington, and I provide some historical background to North Island environmental history.

    After leaving the last urban areas of the Auckland bubble I was in, along New Zealand State Highway 1, I finally saw the rural part of Aotearoa. There it was, outside the bus window, as far as the eye could see and abundant throughout the landscape: the grass. The part that everyone talks about and associates with New Zealand. New Zealand, the land of sheep, dairy, and beautiful and lush, green landscapes. When people find out that I traveled to New Zealand, I immediately get questions whether I visited the Lord of the Rings filming locations. (I have not.) How beautiful the green hills are, people tell me. How Hobbiton is a place they wish they could visit. Let me reiterate again, the grass is literally everywhere. The landscapes are indeed beautiful, but they hide something the naked eye doesn’t see. It was not always like this. The path to grass was a long and painful road that caused irrevocable damage to the environment of New Zealand, propelled by imperial relations and the ideologies of the past that promoted “progress.” Knowing how it came to be helps us be more conscientious of our environment and have the will and determination to stop any further adverse environmental changes.

    One of the reasons why I find New Zealand so fascinating is because of the manner in which transformations have taken place. The story of the Aotearoa landscape is one of the fastest and most extensive transformations in human history. It was the last major landmass that was settled by humans. About 800 years ago, New Zealand had not experienced any type of human contact. I think it’s incredibly remarkable that the flora and fauna that had existed for millions of years was still intact. It was a true time capsule of prehistoric treasures. Many of the birds never had mammal predators, so many of them became flightless, including the kiwi. As the first humans arrived, the transformation of the landscape and its animal inhabitants began. Mammals were brought in that decimated the fragile, native bird populations. Settlers in search of agricultural land and wood began to clear the forests and swamps were drained. The belief among the European settlers that arrived was that nature and the landscape needed to be tamed and civilized, in other words “improved.”

    In my view, one of the most important events in human history was the Industrial Revolution. With the advent of the Industrial Revolution, the modern world as we know it was born. What I find really interesting is the fact that as settlers were coming to New Zealand, the Industrial Revolution had just hit its peak. British settlers brought with them certain ideas of progress that other European settlers around the world did not have in prior centuries. The belief that the landscape needed to be controlled took hold and what followed was one of the quickest landscape transformations in human history. 

    The Industrial Revolution increased output in manufacturing and the building of factories. However, New Zealand is not known as a manufacturing land. The land was cleared to make space for agriculture and other raw materials from nature, like wood, that would go to Britain to be manufactured. New Zealand was part of the British imperial realm which meant that the sea of grass and other industries from the land that I saw on my trip was a remnant of that past era. This is very important to point out because it sets the economic course of history of the country. New Zealand would have an economic agricultural outlook for years to come.

    As I rode through the North Island, I was able to observe another change in the landscape. After several miles deep into the island, the grass turned to forest. What appeared to be beautiful forests were in fact plantation forests filled with pinus radiata, a species of pine, native to California. Large trucks with bare tree trunks passed by every now and then. I saw hills where one half was forested and the other half was bare. Some areas had very small, baby trees planted. Just like the grass, the forests were non-native and their purpose was to generate income from the land. 

    As I arrived in Wellington, I had a better understanding of the Aotearoa landscape. I reflected on what I saw and thought about how historical and economic dynamics influenced it. I’ve read about it extensively, but nothing compares to experiencing it in person on a ten hour bus ride.

  • Blog Post #2: New Zealand in the Winter

    This blog post deals with my experience of New Zealand in the winter and my thoughts on the seasons.

    After a wait of more than a year I returned to Auckland. My first trip was in March and the weather was pleasant and mostly sunny. My second trip was in August, the heart of winter. In Southern California, where I’m from, August is one of the hottest months of the year. The weather is scorching hot and absolutely unbearable. The thought of escaping to the Southern Hemisphere’s winter wonderland proved too good to pass.

    Victoria Park, March 2023
    Victoria Park, August 2024

    August 11, 2024: As I write this from my apartment balcony, I can see the water sparkling in the sunny Waitematā Harbour, the clouds moving at a snail-pace in the sky, the gentle, cool breezes coming my way. City sounds can be heard in the distance and the joyful screams of the Sky Tower bungee jumpers. (How fun!). The streets are teeming with people, as they make their way across the Central Business District in their sweaters, jackets, and other winter apparel. Indistinct chatter can be heard among the street crowds. I see the trees, some with brown leaves, others totally bare of any leaves. Construction and cones abound, just like they did the last time I was there. The weather is cool and pleasant. Nights are a bit more chilly. No rain. 

    View of Auckland CBD

    August 14, 2024: I arrived in Wellington on a Monday night. One of the coldest nights that I have ever experienced. In fact, the heavy cold will be what I will remember the most about Wellington. (As I stated earlier, I’m from Southern California, so temperature in the 50s °F (10s °C) is very cold for me.) The freezing night was augmented by the winds that came from Lambton Harbour. Early in the morning, even though it was sunny, I made my way to Wellington Central and it was just as cold as in the night. Many people throughout the city were walking towards their jobs and school. The city was serious about its business, in this case the business of running a country. The wind was heavy. I saw in admiration how the New Zealand flags were waiving throughout the air in the Beehive and Parliament building behind the statue of Prime Minister Seddon. From above, the city looked majestic. I was able to see the entire Wellington area from Mount Victoria Lookout. I looked at the city below and saw the sun dueling it out with the clouds to gain supremacy over the city as the wind watched. Being there with my brother and sister, in the cold, was a wonderful moment that I will remember forever.

    Beehive
    View from Mount Victoria Lookout

    August 17, 2024: The rain finally came in Auckland. It has been raining all day today. For most of the day I had to admire the rain from indoors. It is quite a site. The regular sounds of the city still prevail, despite the rain. Rain droplets have been falling unceasingly on my window since this morning. I can barely see faint dots of light across the Waitematā Harbour. The views up high are incredible. Some buildings are so tall, including the Sky Tower, that the upper part is blocked by the fog or rain clouds. As the rain finally died down on the city, I ventured out and saw people going about the city streets. I could hear Indian music in the background, indistinct talking coming from restaurants, and groups of friends going about the city, on their way to or from a bar. Although it had just rained, the temperature was cool, not cold, but a bit too humid. The wet sidewalks reflected the lights of the city to give an even more luminous feel. 

    Rainy Day in Auckland
    Queen Street

    Seasons are something I rarely think about. They just happen and we unquestionably adjust our lives. They come and go every year and provide much needed structure to our lives. Biological organisms mirror the seasons. We are born, we live, and we die. Nothing happens instantaneously, there is always a transition in seasons and life’s stages.

    I abruptly went from summer to fall and it is quite noticeable. A few days ago I turned on my fan, now I’m turning on the heater. For now I will enjoy the cool weather and enjoy the winter again in a few months from now. In a few days, I will be arriving in the heat of Southern California, but I will have my cold Aotearoa memories to keep me cool.

  • Memories and Introduction

    This blog post deals with my memory of my first trip to Auckland in March 2023 and introduces my blog.

    The city sounds of the night and the smell of curry are still roaming in my memory. I stood out on the balcony of the apartment, marveling at the Auckland skyline. I could see a line of cars heading northbound to cross the Auckland Harbour Bridge. The night climate was perfect and the skies were clear. The streets of Auckland (especially Queen Street) and its friendly people are still on my mind. I often think about Auckland and Aotearoa.

    Auckland skyline, March 2023

    It’s been more than a year and I will never forget that experience. I took a trip to Aotearoa  in March of 2023 and that feeling of marvel for the country has sprouted into a worthwhile pursuit. This trip ignited my interest in all things Aotearoa. I would consider myself an Aotearoa enthusiast. As a child, I thought it was quite interesting that this country has more sheep than people. 

    Living in the United States, we often have this view of Aotearoa as a progressive and advanced society with a high standard of living and breathtaking landscapes (think Lord of the Rings). A few years ago, I remember Jacindamania and the admiration many Americans had for the prime minister and Aotearoa. However, as Americans, this very positive view can distort our perception of Aotearoa and deprive us of the actual reality of the country. This view, coupled with the scant amount of information and exposure on Aotearoa in the US, creates an incomplete portrayal of the country. I’m a librarian and every time I visit a new library I look for books and other materials on my favorite topic, Aotearoa. I want to see what is out there. I see a sizable amount of books on the Pacific Islands, followed by a small section on Australia, and followed by an even smaller section on Aotearoa. Most of the books on Aotearoa are travel and history books, but very few on other aspects of the country. Sometimes, I find no books at all. I really have to go above and beyond to obtain quality and varied information on Aotearoa, using my information literacy skills. For the most part, I have found books and articles on Aotearoa, but I realize that this is something that the general public might not be able to find. I did find heaps upon heaps of Aotearoa books at the University of Auckland Library and it was amazing. 

    Sky Tower, March 2023

    In the past year, I have become increasingly acquainted with the current issues facing Aotearoa. The day before I left, I saw a large crowd of people through the window of my apartment marching through Queen Street in Auckland. I immediately went outside to see what was going on. I reached Albert Park where the crowd had gathered. It appeared that it was a teacher strike judging from their posters. When I got home, back in California, I learned that what I had experienced was a nation-wide teacher strike. All across the cities of Aotearoa, teachers had marched to protest dwindling salaries. This was indicative of the cost of living crisis that Aotearoa was experiencing. This got me thinking. How have the changes brought about by neoliberalism influenced the lives of average Kiwis? How do race relations influence the future path of the country? What is the role of history? How much has the country come to depend on its landscape? These are some of many questions that have dwelt in my mind in the past year.

    It is my hope that this blog will bring to light many of the issues and stories of Aotearoa. I want to share my love of my favorite country with the readers, create awareness of challenges and issues faced by Kiwis and, most importantly, strengthen the cultural bonds between people.

Kia Ora!

My name is Francisco and this is my blog on Aotearoa New Zealand. It is a collection of my thoughts and experiences in the land of the long white cloud. I love learning and experiencing everything about Aotearoa. I hope to share my love for this wonderful place and its people.

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