Easter Break and Celebrations
It is almost the end of the university Easter break, which I so often wrongly refer to as “spring break” even though we are rapidly descending into winter here in New Zealand. Because my Māori culture class was on hold for two weeks, I had the opportunity to travel around New Zealand a bit. A highlight was completing an awe-inspiring 14 km hike in the Tongariro Alpine Crossing (unrelated to music, I know, but I’ve decided to put a picture up anyway because it was so beautiful).
A long overdue photo tour of Auckland
Pūnehunehu taku titiro
ki te ao nei e
Pōraki ana ahau
i te kimi i te wāhi ki a au
My view is dimmed
upon the world
Frantic in search
to find my place
This is an excerpt from the poem “Pūnehunehu” (Hazey) by Māori poet Charisma. I included it in my ethics proposal because I thought it was a striking summary of the need for “place”, which in my research I am hoping to show can be created through popular music. However in reading the poem again, I have realized that I have not done my city (yes, after merely 2 months I am infatuated with Auckland enough to feel comfortable calling it “my city”) justice by conveying anything about what kind of place Auckland is.
The following photo slideshow is by no means a comprehensive presentation of everything that is fantastic about Auckland. My photo tour is a little limited by the fact that I do not have a car. I’ve tried to capture some of my favourite spots though so that you can get a sense of my “place” in Auckland. Hopefully I’ve shown a bit of how vibrant, active, colourful and stunning the city is. There are some obligatory scenic shots, but also some more subtle things that I appreciate that might not come up through a Google image search of Auckland. I wanted to share this now so that when I put some footage of artists’ commentary on living in the city, you will know a bit more of the city they are talking about.
Enjoy!
“Your last name is bro? Ainsley Bro?”
Kia ora whanau!
When I visited Wellington recently for my Fulbright New Zealand orientation, I had the unique opportunity to stay overnight at the Waiwhetū Marae. Before our group of visiting American graduate fellows and visiting scholars left for the marae, we learned the proper pōwhiri, or rituals of encounter. We practiced the hongi, which is the act of gently pressing noses and foreheads to establish physical contact. We also learned two Māori waiata (songs), to acknowledge the group welcoming us onto their marae. In learning the stages of pōwhiri and the rules and customs of the marae, I think some of us were a bit nervous; the strict cultural protocols made us apprehensive that we would make a mistake and offend our hosts.
The Fulbright New Zealand whanau at the Waiwhetū Marae
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Waitangi Day 2009
On Friday, I got to attend yet another exciting music event called Native Noise ‘09 in Auckland. The day was a little more significant than just another great line-up of New Zealand artists.
Native Noise 2009
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Tribal Pride 2009
On my 10th day in New Zealand, I learned 3 very important lessons:
1) Due to a combination of thinner ozone and the relative closeness of the sun to the earth during the “southern summer”, it is very, very easy to burn here,
2) In spite of its apparent proximity on a map, Ngaruawahia is not that close to the Hopuhopu sports complex, and
3)In spite of 1 and 2, Tribal Pride 2009 was a wonderful start to my time in New Zealand.
After spending my first days here desperately searching for a flatmate, getting a phone, and taking care of all of the other details of settling into a new country, I was more than ready to jump right in and start to get familiar with the Maori and Pacific music scene. With this energy and excitement I bought a ticket to Tribal Pride 2009. Tribal Pride is a 12-hour open-air, drug and alcohol free concert designed to “Celebrate 150 years of the King movement, reinforce Tribal pride in rangatahi/youth, and promote family health and well being in opposition to violence”, according to the program.
Tribal Pride 2009
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