Have witnessed the Marathon below my home on Evans Bay Parade and now am at the fabulous two day Kapa Haka, an annual celebration of the elder Maori, the Kaumatua, and their Waiata and poi.
It may have been also to celebrate the recent Matariki, the coincidence of seven stars and marking the Maori New Year.
It is a lovely day and the museum of Te Papa is bursting with visitors. It is such a great space with so much going on all the time, open free to public 365 days of the year I believe.
The sound of the Waiata - Maori songs- echoes through the museum with such sonority and sincerity that you can't help but be moved by this uplifting singing. This tradition of community Maori singing is so strongly embedded in their culture it can't but create a positive vibe for everyone. The songs are beautiful, some sad, all uplifting, and mark certain occasions in the Maori life and calendar.
The Maori culture is so rich and our Western culture lacks this in many ways, unless you can tap consciously into it and learn it, but it is quite difficult to access. I suppose I do it somewhat though the Scottish County Dancing but it is not quite the same, although it is more universal, as the Scots, like the Irish, have populated the world in every corner.
The Waiata today have moved people to tears, laughter and all the emotions you can bring up. It is a secret of their resilience, this singing which they do with all their heart, as they too, after all, were a displaced people when the paternalistic English came to take over their beautiful country. But they didn't lose their language or their culture, which is now really on the rise.
It was a wonderful experience to see the pride of the Maori race on stage today.
The Pakeha having coffee...
Enthusiastic reception..
Welcome desk...
The brave and the hardy at the Marathon
Front page...of course!
Inside news...
Aunty Helen, the highest of NZ Orders bestowed.
There is no doubt about it, Helen Clark is odds on for the next Secretary General of the United Nations.
Here is a super-intelligent, very experienced sixty-five year old who does cross country skiing every year two or three times. She is pragmatic, tough and has led a country to good sense and prosperity in a nine year leadership, when women weren't in principle, allowed to be at the top.
Things have changed, and now they actually want a woman at the top. Hillary Clinton has a good go this time for the presidency, and certainly Helen would be a match for her. More than a match I would dare to say.
After an exhilarating morning and afternoon at Te Papa, I am in Memphis for a hot lemon and honey drink. Very nice. And later will visit Ron for an update re his job. May even bring in Lesley.
Then tonight hopefully a return to a full danciing class at Thistle Hall. I still have to have a heart-to-heart with K, but that might have to wait. Thing is, life in Wellington is just so damned busy, and enjoyable!
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