March 4 - Auckland War Memorial Museum

Today we started with a coffee from our Italian Bakery, then headed to the Auckland Museum. We entered through the rear entrance, which is modern, and skylit - very beautiful. We booked a Maori cultural show. It started with singing - the 6 cast members all had good voices. We recognized the tune "How Great Thou Art". The announcer/MC explained this was part of their Catholic heritage - the Maori liked the hymn tunes, so they translated the words and took them up. We learned about "poi" - here it means small balls of light material swung rhythmically - really part of a dance. It had originated as a weapon for men (stones), but has become the "maidens' " territory.

We also took a tour of the Maori gallery - two sequential guides, a young woman and a young man, who spoke about facial tatooing, local carving patterns, the long war canoe and inter-Maori raiding parties. There are some very beautiful artifacts in the museum. There was a display about Maori land claims - as usual, the white settlers did not keep to the treaties, but it does appear that progress is being made, as some are settled.

The museum also had a wonderful display on volcanoes. The Pacific plate goes under the Australasian plate to the north of the Islands, and to the south, the Australasian goes under the Pacific plate. The Southern Alps are the result of the two plates pushing at each other on the South Island. On the North, the line is out to sea, a little east of the North Island. One display was a house that you could go into, with a TV, and a large "picture window" looking over Auckland harbour. There you 'saw' a volcano erupt in the middle of the harbour. They had the house shaking, so it was quite interesting. So much for our shuttle driver who reassured the tourists that Auckland does not have earthquakes! The Museum itself is built on one edge of a [very old] crater, the hospital on the other. You certainly couldn't tell that today, but it is interesting . . .

We are on to Rotorua today, staying at the "Funky Green Backpacker" tonight. Apparently it is environmentally green, and, while they were at it, painted green!