Waitangi and the Mangroves
Waitangi,
New Zealand
Thursday, November 1, 2007
It had seemed like a good idea to bring my fleece and windproof with me in light of the cruise, but I had not thought so far ahead as carrying it around for the greater part of the following day before the bus came back to collect me. I walked around the head from Paihia up to Waitangi to view the Treaty House and grounds that form a pivotal part of New Zealand's history from the time of European contact. In reading some of the history I was surprised to learn that the Waitangi grounds were not purchased by the NZ government, but were gifted to NZ by Lord and Lady Bledisloe, an English couple. This occured after the grounds were nearly lost to an undisclosed buyer, thought to have been a deep sea fishing company, which would have totally changed the Bay of Islands, had their purchase gone ahead, and if the supposition is correct. The Bledisloes donated the grounds because they felt that such an important part of NZ history should not be forgotten. The grounds and house remain part of an independent trust to this day, and lands that Lord Bledisloe bought in order to provide an income for the grounds still contribute to the upkeep of the site.
Everything at Waitangi is well tended and presented, and it is an idyllic spot to walk around. There were good views across to Russell, which isa part of the reason that the British Residency (now the Treaty House, in accordance with the wishes of the Bledisloes) is placed where it is. Part of James Busby's role as British Resident in New Zealand was to settle disputes that arose, and these often centred on the disolute inhabitants of Russell (which was nicknamed the "Hellhole of the Pacific" in the 1800's.)
The treaty of Waitangi, signed in the 1840's, brought New Zealand under the protection of the British crown. This occured because a Frenchman, who had purchased as island in the Bay of Islands, was planning to come and set up his own sovereign state, defended by masses of weaponry. The Maori were convinced that it would be in their best interests to come under British protection and enter into more mutually beneficial trade, and so the treaty was drafted and signed in 1840. For the centennial celebrations, a large waka (canoe) and a ceremonial Marae (meeting house) were built in the grounds. They are carved out in a traditional style and are very beautiful and tranquil.
After my visit to Waitangi I did a short bushwalk in the Bledisloe Reserve to a mangrove swamp. The track was very easy to walk along and the boardwalk through the mangroves was unusual. There were several fish swimming in the roots of the trees and I was the only person there. The mangrove trees hung over the boardwalk so that there were times when you had to weave around them or under the branches in order to continue. Sometimes I was very close to the edge of the platform, though my general clumsiness did not cause me to fall in.
The track continued beyond the mangroves to a waterfall but I did not walk far along it as my fleece, hanging from the shoulder straps of my backpack was making me uncomfortably hot. I retraced my steps to Paihia and took a short break on the beach to eat my lunch ( at which point I had to put my fleece back on because the wind was cold.)
I walked back into Paihia in ample time for the bus, smiling at the little feet sprayed onto the path to tell me how far I had walked in terms of my 10000 per day, and caught the express back into Auckland. Not much to do now before I leave, just boring jobs.
