maori Archives | Amiekay's Adventure

February 26, 2018February 24, 2018

Hiking to Kitekite Falls

Sometimes we do things we aren’t proud of while traveling, and my walk through the bush to see the Kitekite falls is one of them.

Sure, the views were beautiful, but I feel like I dishonored the sacred land by making the hike.

Here’s some background: the Kitekite falls are located near Piha Beach, which is about an hour’s drive west of Auckland. They’re stunning and beautiful, and open to the public. You see, normally there is no reason for anyone to feel guilty about going to see them. But right now, I am going to advise you to not do what I did and avoid this area for the time being.

You see, the area around the falls is home to a Kauri forest and Kauri trees are considered kings of the New Zealand forest by the Maori people. They are giant and beautiful, and unfortunately, a lot of them were chopped down by European settlers when they first arrived in New Zealand. However, in recent years, the New Zealand government has taken measures to protect the remaining trees and the forest is slowly coming back to life.

Amiekay inside the stump of a dead Kauri tree in Piha — Me inside of the stump of a dead Kauri tree

Unfortunately, over the last few years, many of the trees have fallen ill due to a parasite which is referred to as Kauri dieback. There’s no cure for the dieback, and in order to keep the parasite from spreading, several people in the area have petitioned the government to close the forests to visitors until it heals. And to their credit, a lot of the trails have been shut down, but many are still open. And while there are places to wash your shoes before continuing into the forest, the move doesn’t fully protect the trees and an area considered sacred by the Maori.

A stream spotted on the Kitekite track in Piha — The Kitekite track is full of beautiful greenery, and feels extremely tropical

I knew none of this when I started my hike to the falls, but one-third of the way into the hike, a volunteer at the entrance to the shoe cleaning station did explain why the station was there, and why we should consider turning around. I will say I felt as if I should turn back, but didn’t listen to my gut and went anyway.

The hike itself is beautiful. The walk through the forest is fairly easy and breathtaking, and it only takes about an hour and a half round trip to get to the falls and back, although you can continue onwards if you choose to.

A bridge along the Kitekite track in Piha — A bridge hikers take on their walk to the Kitekite Falls

The falls themselves are worth every single second of the walk. They stand about 130 feet high and can appear even larger if you continue to the lookout, as there are a smaller waterfall and pool directly above it. They are beautiful and stunning and I am happy I saw them in person.

Still, its been a few weeks since I went on the hike, and I have yet to get over the fact that I did something that could harm the forest, and furthermore, disturb a sacred area because I know better. I strive to be an eco-conscious traveler at all times, and also do my best to adhere to the customs and beliefs of the people the country I am visiting. And while in this particular instance I was with other people I still could’ve spoken up and not continued.

Amiekay in front of Kitekite falls — This was right after my right foot fell into the water

Unfortunately, this is in the past and is something I can’t change. But I can tell you the story and try and prevent someone from making the same mistake. While there are some news stories about the paths that have been closed to the public, there is not a lot out there is written about the Kauri trees and the forest around Kitekite Falls that I can find. I think that’s a shame because it is a popular attraction, and people should really know what’s going on before they get there. After all, if you drive all the way out there to see the falls, chances are you aren’t going to want to turn around halfway through. But now that you know at the very least you can go there and make a conscious decision either not to go, or to take some precautions, such as cleaning your shoes of any soil before arriving onsite.

To learn more about the Kauri trees and the disease killing them and how you can help save the trees, please check out this website: https://www.kauridieback.co.nz

Kitekite falls through plants — Kitekite falls seen through the plants along the track

February 5, 2018February 21, 2018

Rotorua Hot Springs on a Budget

New Zealand is known for its unique and beautiful landscape. From Milford Sound in the South Island to the Tongariro Alpine Crossing in the North, this country is made for people who love the outdoors. And while some are free, a lot of them end up costing you a bit of money. For instance, even though the Tongariro is free to hike, you have to pay a shuttle to drop you off and pick you up because of parking rules in the area. For Milford Sound, you really need to hire a boat or kayak to access the area’s gorgeous views.

The hot pools and hot springs in Rotorua are no different. The most amazing sights in this area all charge an entry fee. I understand in this case some of it is to protect and preserve the natural resources, but it can get pricey for anyone on a budget. But there is a free option.

Kuirau Park is located on the edge of Rotorua’s downtown and is home to several natural examples of geothermal activity in the area. Sure, the sights aren’t nearly as colorful as those in the paying attractions, but you can certainly get the feel of what makes this place unique. (Including the sulphuric smell!)

Kuirau Park is mostly home to different pools of bubbling, hot mud. While this is actually quite neat to see, the main attraction here is the area’s massive boiling lake.

One of the many mud pools at Kuirau Park

Kuirau Lake is fairly large, and there are pathways built all the way around it for you to see it safely. Full of dead trees and smoke rising from the lake, the whole area feels like a villain’s secret lair. Making the whole atmosphere even more spooky? A story behind its name and founding that sounds like the plot of a horror movie. According to Maori Legend, Lake Kuirau used to be a cooler lake and was called Taokahu. In fact, they say it was cool enough that people could bath in the water, and that’s exactly what a woman named

One of the viewing platforms at Kuirau Lake

Walk through the smoke at Kuirau Lake using this platform over the water, but be warned: it is quite smelly

According to Maori Legend, Lake Kuirau used to be a cooler lake and was called Taokahu. In fact, they say it was cool enough that people could bath in the water, and that’s exactly what a woman named Kuiarau was doing when a legendary creature name Taniwha dragged her to his lair below the lake. Legend has it this action angered the gods, who made the lake boil to kill Taniwha. The lake has been boiling since and was renamed after the woman who died.

Makes you want to visit, doesn’t it?

As I said previously, Kuirau’s attractions aren’t all that colorful and are fairly limited in scope. (It’s mostly mud, outside the lake.) Kuirau Park is also missing a place for you to actually get in the water, although there is a place to dip your feet in. Personally, I was okay not getting into any hot pools, as they are breeding grounds for amoebas that lead to meningitis. But if that’s your thing, there are a lot of free pools outside of downtown for you to take a dip in.

The lush, tropical greens in other parts of the park are in stark contrast to the dead plants dotting Kuirau Lake

Kuirau Park is uniquely beautiful, and I highly recommend it to anyone who appreciates a spooky location and doesn’t have a lot of money. It’s an especially useful find for backpackers in the area who don’t own a car to make it out to the paying attractions, which are all a bit of a drive outside of the city.

However, if you are willing to spend money, check back next week when I take you through some of the colorful attractions at Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland.

This shot of Kuirau Lake makes me think of Scar’s Pridelands from Disney’s “The Lion King”

January 29, 2018February 21, 2018

Magic in Real-Life: New Zealand’s Glowworm Caves

Note: All Photos in this post courtesy of Spellbound Glowworm and Cave Tours unless otherwise specified.

If Epcot ever gets a New Zealand pavilion, I already know what the ride should be: a quick sail through dark waters illuminated only by glow worms.

Let me explain. New Zealand is home to a lot of magnificent sites. From its many mountains to its hot springs, to its Lord of the Rings filming locations, there are a plethora of natural things to see and do here. And while I haven’t seen them all, I have seen quite a few, yet none of them have been as magical or as memorable as my time spent in Waitomo.

Waitomo is a small town on the North Island that has a population of about 50 people. However, its population grows by the thousands on any given day, as travelers from all over come here to see glowworm caves. Now, to be fair, glowworm is a nice name for the fly maggots that glow with bioluminescence in the area, but still, they are a really beautiful sight to behold.

A close-up of the magical glowworms in Waitomo

The many caves in the area are also where Waitomo gets its name. In Maori, the language of the native New Zealanders here, Waitomo is a combination of two words: “wai” or water, and “tomo” or hole. According to the town’s official tourism site, the combining of these words literally translates to “stream which flows into the hole in the ground.” It is these streams that provide the unique environment needed for the glowworms to grow and thrive.

Oh, and because this is New Zealand there was also a hike involved. Here’s a look at some of the limestone rocks that line the Waitomo countryside, and are responsible for the caves in the area (Photo by Amiekay)

There are a number of companies that run glowworm tours in Waitomo, including one that allows you to go rafting through the caves. However, because I went sort of unplanned, we had to call around and really just go with whichever tour would take us. This ended up being Spellbound, a private tour company who has access to caves outside of the town center. For Spellbound’s tour, we took a bit of a lengthy car ride through town, parks, and eventually a private farm. During this time, our comedic tour guide asked us silly questions like “if you were a cake, what kind of cake would you be?” to pass the time. He also told us a bit of history about the area, including the opening of sinkholes that would often result in the deaths of cows.

The tour we were on included a boat ride through a wet cave and a walking tour through a dry cave. Both are interesting and informative, but the first cave is far more spectacular. During this tour, not only are you treated to your first look at the glowworms but also you are given plenty of time for your eyes to adjust before getting into the boat. This means you see more glowworms more clearly.

A picture of the raft we took through the cave.

I have to be honest, the whole thing really felt like a ride at Disney World. It seemed totally unreal and completely out of a storybook, and I found that I had to repeatedly remind myself it was in fact, not only real life but also a natural phenomenon. Sure, the lights were being made by maggots but they are beautiful. (Our comedic tour guide also told us that the glowworms sometimes fall from the ceiling, but luckily this did not happen on my trip.)

After the boat ride, our tour stopped off for coffee and biscuits before heading to the dry cave. The dry cave is a little more traditional and features the tour guide explaining the difference between stalagmites and stalactites. However, there were some only in New Zealand moments. Including a close up look at the skeleton of a Moa bird, an ostrich-like animal that was killed off when the Maori arrived on the island hundreds of years ago. (We also were shown cave wetas and a huntsman spider, but I was a little less thrilled about those things.)

The skeleton of a young Moa that experts believe fell into the cave and died

Another skeleton we were shown, which our guide told us is the “most photographed dead cow” in New Zealand. I think he was joking… (Photo by Amiekay)

Overall, I have to say the glowworm caves are a must-see for anyone visiting New Zealand. While there are glowworms elsewhere in the world, the ones here are larger and more plentiful than anywhere else. And the tours aren’t expensive, either. Our entire tour cost $75 NZD and was 2 hours long, but some of the other tours cost as little as $35 NZD. Much cheaper than Disney World.

A look at what the glowworms looked like to the naked eye (Photo by Amiekay)

June 28, 2017February 25, 2018

Celebrating Matariki: The Maori New Year

The beginning of July is just around the corner, a time that for many, marks the start of the second half of the Gregorian calendar year. (That’s the 12-month system we all know and love worldwide.) However, that’s not the case for the native Maori people here in New Zealand.

A shot of the Matariki fireworks from Te Papa

Just like we “ring in the New Year” during the winter months in the Northern Hemisphere, so is the tradition with the Maori. If you didn’t know about this, don’t worry, I didn’t either before I arrived in New Zealand. In fact, I may have completely missed Matariki altogether if it wasn’t for a calendar of events put together by Te Papa, the Museum of New Zealand. For the first time ever, the museum is marking this passage of time with a number of special events here in Wellington, including a traditional Matariki ritual, which I had the pleasure of taking part in earlier this month.

Just to give you some background: Matariki actually refers to the cluster of stars more commonly known as the Pleiades. Because Aotearoa (the Maori name for New Zealand) is located in the Southern Hemisphere, these stars rise on the cusp of winter, usually around late May or early June. For the Maori, the sight of this star cluster marks the start of the new year.

A look at the set-up for the Matariki Ritual, which also featured traditional Maori music

The museum’s traditional ritual did a really good job summarizing what this time of year is all about for the Maori. It centered around a giant fire pit and started with the host telling us the story of the Matariki. He also opened up the floor for people to speak and talk a bit about themselves, something I am told happens during a majority of Maori rituals. For me, it was especially interesting to hear from people all over the world. I was amazed at just how international the small city of Wellington really is; I think we heard from someone who originated from just about every continent. I also enjoyed hearing people speak in the native Maori tongue.

Next, we moved on to the actual Matariki ritual and taking the time to appreciate the past year. For the Maori, Matariki is a time to say goodbye to the loved ones lost during the year. During the ritual at Te Papa, we symbolized this by lighting a candle and sending it adrift on a nearby pond. I personally didn’t know anyone who passed in the past year, so I actually said goodbye to my career in television news. This was a job that defined who I was for almost a decade. As I let go of my candle, I said farewell to that person and allowing myself to embrace this uncertainty in a new country.

Each candle represents a personal farewell to the last year

Matariki is not just a time to say goodbye though, it is also a time of celebration. Like Thanksgiving in the States, the celebration happens around the time crops are harvested, which means there is a lot of food to be had. This is why the ritual centered around the fire, as traditional Maori food is typically cooked in “hangi” ovens, or underground pits. And yes, it does take around three to four hours to cook. (But if you don’t have that much time you can buy it made for you here in New Zealand for around $10 NZD.)

The ritual’s “traditional” fire pit (It was gas fed)

In addition to the feast, Matariki is also a time to think about what you want to see happen in the coming year, and really look forward to all of the new possibilities ahead. For the museum’s ritual, we did this by writing down our wishes and dreams for the next year. At the end of the night, we then put those messages in baskets. I assume part of the ritual next year will involve reading some of these, but I guess I have to wait to find out! Either way here’s hoping some of mine come true.

In all, I really enjoyed taking part in something uniquely New Zealand, as well as taking the time to pause and reflect on where I’ve been and where I’m headed. I’ve always been a fan of New Year celebration, so I find it quite amazing I managed to find a place that will allow me.to celebrate my favorite holiday twice a year.