The Auckland Museum is bustling with school kids. Most seem interested and engaged vs bored. A mixture of War Museum; history – natural, people; Wars – NZ at war abroad and internal wars.
The Maoris come across as a cultured, skilled, warmongering lot. Tribe vs tribe. Until spear and club met gun. And their honour met British duplicity. All for King/Queen and country. The displays of artificacts, especially how they navigated and farmed are fascinating.
As I toured the wars NZ had supported the British in, I reflected how we view things. We [rightly] see the Ukrainians as the victims of Russian agression/invastion. Yet we celebrate things like Rourkes Drift as a heroic defense against the barbarian Zulu – who were defending their country from our invasion. Ditto battles against the Maori.
New Zealand is also a land of volcanoes: where the Atlantic and Pacific plates tussle. At one end the Atlantic plate is sliding under the Pacific: at the other it’s the other way around. The good news is the dust cloud of volcanic silica particles travels at 100m/s so you are quickly cooked. The other tip is if you car is covered in volcanic dust don’t wash it off – it’s like sandpaper on your windscreen – rather dust it off. I’ll have to remember that “A volcano has erupted – I’m off out to dust the car”. Better to bend over and kiss your ass goodbye.
Too many facts to take in: it leaves an impression of a great land living in the quiet space between cataclysmic events. I hope it remains that way for a wee bit longer, else any gravel routes may be a bit hotter. and the tarmac a bit sticky.
They commemorate their fallen and victims of war well, of all sides and nationalities.
Tomorrow time to saddle up and head out….
Travelling reflections 