I arrived at Velskov, about a forty minute drive outside of downtown Auckland, excited. Here, on a piece of land that was once pasture and is now - slowly - recovering as native forest, Mamakan Velskov treats visitors to a unique experience that she calls forest farming. She has planted 45 species of edible native…
New Zealand’s North Island doesn’t get the love that the South Island gets when it comes to natural beauty. The region around Auckland especially doesn’t seem to attract too many tourists. Those stay in the city, and leave it for a few special things: a glow worm cave perhaps (amazing experience, by the way, although…
Let’s be honest here. Most people who come to New Zealand don’t do so for the cities. And those who do tend to stay in Auckland. (This makes sense since it is the international gateway and largest city by a considerable margin.) New Zealand’s other cities are seen as pass throughs, or places to be…
Waikenae Memorial Hall is filled to capacity, and then some, when I arrive. This small town along New Zealand’s west coast about an hour north of Wellington has gathered to commemorate, to memorialize, and to remember. Today is April 25, ANZAC Day, and communities all over New Zealand and Australia are doing the same thing,…
As a whole, New Zealand was one of the last land masses in the world to be settled. Ancestors of today’s Maori arrived in the 10th century CE. (Click here to read about the Maori history of New Zealand.) And it wasn’t until 1769 that James Cook “discovered” the islands of New Zealand on behalf…
According to Maori tradition, the demi-god Maui carved a magical fishhook from an ancestor’s jawbone. He and his brothers took their huge waka (canoe) and tried their luck at fishing with the new hook. Maui soon caught something huge! With his brothers’ help, he reeled it to the surface, and they were shocked to find…
Mark Fry’s small desk is an interesting stop on a tour of the Wētā Workshop in Wellington, New Zealand. Here, he makes models, conceptual ideas for many of the projects Weta works on. He passes around a tower from Warhammer, one he made out of an old yogurt container. Others are built from discarded construction…
The three buildings that make up the majority of New Zealand’s parliamentary offices couldn’t be more different. The most iconic, called the Beehive, holds the offices of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, while the other two host Parliament itself and the official Parliamentary Library. Sitting in a row, it’s a rather odd journey through time…
I know, I know. It seems like I just got back from Europe. And really, it’s true. After less than three weeks at home, it’s back across an ocean. But this time, it’s the Pacific. Unlike some trips, this one is mainly a “people” trip. Namely, both A and I have family in New Zealand…
Today, we are strong enough and honest enough to... admit that the Treaty has been imperfectly observed. I look upon it as a legacy of promise. It can be a guide to... all those whose collective sense of justice, fairness and tolerance will shape the future. In 1990, Queen Elizabeth II visited Waitangi and admitted…