Kiwiana

Gavin's school assignment this week was to create a poster about "kiwiana" - New Zealand icons.  He had to include information on why each icon was important and significant.  Quite a task for a foreigner!  But as we worked through it, we realized how much we've learned about life in New Zealand.  Many of the kiwiana are now near and dear to our hearts.

Gavin chose to present his kiwiana in the form of a school newspaper, with "sports", "lost & found", etc.  We are hoping that it earns him the title of "homework star", which would mean a week free of homework!  Keep your fingers crossed.

The kiwiana included kiwifruit (obviously), kiwi birds (again, obvious...but did you know that they are nocturnal and their nostrils are at the end of their beaks, and they are endangered?), cricket, rugby, sheep, Maori marae & moko, silver fern, jandals (japanese sandals, aka flip-flops), buzzy bee toys, tramping (hiking) boots, pounamu (a form of jade or greenstone only found in New Zealand), L&P soda (you have to taste it to get it) and Mt. Taranaki.

We thought they should have included hokey-pokey ice-cream (a new Taylor family favorite), marmite (a new Gavin favorite), and gumboots (maybe that's because we live in a dairy farming town?)  And maybe Tui beer.

Brunch, Bunkers & Birds in Oakura

This Sunday found us with nothing in particular to do, and we were thrilled when the Florence family got us up and moving by suggesting brunch at Cafe Lahar in Okato.  Brilliant!  The food was fantastic ("big brekkie" for Ken) and it was nice to get our families together and talk surf, travel & NZ life.  Lacking anything else on the agenda for the day we thought we'd  do some local exploration, and the Florence's suggested the Pa in Oakura.  Again, brilliant!  Thanks Claire & Luke for the great day.

I hope I explain this correctly:  a "Pa" is a Maori historic & cultural site, usually consisting of a fortified village with bunkers on a hill.  The hilly Pa in Oakura is located next to the Oakura River, and is well protected by the DOC (department of conservation).  We read the historical information at the start of the trail, then entered the Pa.  Boys had fun searching for "rua" (Maori storage holes for food, often connected by underground tunnels).  The birdsongs were incredible today.  A tui warbled and whistled up in the leafy green canopy - we caught glimpses of his black feathers with the white puff at his throat.  Fantails seemed to follow us as we wandered the trails (we learned later that they do this because human stir up the foliage, causing tiny insects to become airborne - a handy meal for the fantails).  They are such flighty little birds that I had a hard time photographing them even though they were everywhere.  We saw beautiful green & white wood pigeons flying, and saw Pukekos stalking through fields.

Brekkie @ Cafe Lahar in Okato

Grif at the Pa entrance

Boys found a "rua", a hidden hole for food storage.  Some were
really deep and seemed to be connected by tunnels.

Bush trail in the Pa

Grif & Gav in the beginning of the Pukeiti gardens trails

After stopping for ice cream (of course) in Oakura, we visited the Pukeiki gardens (again, beautifully maintained and FREE) and then the Egmont lighthouse before heading back home to Opunake.  Taranaki is so rich in history and possesses such natural beauty.  We're so lucky to be here.

Ken summits the volcano!

Here in the Taranaki region, the dominant feature of the landscape is inarguably Mt Taranaki, a volcano whose most recent eruption was 250 years ago.  When the clouds allow, the peak is visible from most areas in the region, including the boys school and our kitchen window.  It is almost always white-capped, but there are brief periods during warmer weather in which the peak is free of snow.  It is the subject of much of the area's folklore, and also of speculation about future eruptions!  Mt Taranaki is 8261 feet high, rising spectacularly and dramatically from near sea-level.

One of the biggest challenges is finding reasonable weather to make the climb.  Several people die each year not from altitude or injury but typically due to sudden storms, snowfall (even in summer), lack of visibility and eventual hypothermia.  Locals say Mt Taranaki is a great place to experience all 4 Seasons in a single day.

My climb started sunny, uphill and warm but rapidly became steep, cloudy and cold.  While it took less time than climbing Mt Whitney (14, 495 ft & the highest in the contiguous US) the steepness and treachery of the trail was considerably greater.  When I reached the top I had it to myself for almost an hour with occasional spurts of sun but mostly swirling clouds and minimal visibility.  I climbed a steep section called the Shark's Tooth-really a rock climb rather than a hike.  Parts of the downhill climb near the peak were so steep on loose gravel that I discovered jogging down was the best option (rather than slip side stepping).  A boogie board would have come in handy.

After the climb I made it back to Opunake in time to go for a surf with the boys.  This is Taranki's version of Turf and Surf!

Driving to Mt Taranaki to start the climb on a glorious Tuesday morning.

The carpark at East Egmont (Taranaki)
 National Park, where the trusty old
 Volvo waits for my return

Early into the climb, just past the rope tow ski
 field, where locals ski & board in the winter.

Thousands of steps exist on the trail to the
top, but here begins 521 CONTINUOUS
steeps steps toward the summit.

Self photo at the Summit just prior to being engulfed by clouds at 8, 261 feet!

Finally another climber arrived to take my picture.

Ready to run down the scree (scoria) slope.  The small pumice stones
 gave no traction... trekking poles would have been nice.

Down a million steps (OK maybe several thousand) to the Volvo after a successful summit.

Julie & Christine visit

My good friend Julie came to visit in March, on her birthday week.  She wisely (sorry Andrew) left kids and husband @ home and ventured Down Under with her girlfriend, Christine.  Christine is a fantastic photographer, and took some really nice photos.  They just had to be shared!

Julie & Christine traveled around a bit in the North Island before coming to stay a few days with us in little Opunake.  They saw the glowworm caves of Waitomo, the thermal pools of Rotorua, the gorgeous scenery of Taupo, and the galleries of New Plymouth before heading out to our rural farming town.  We had a slow-paced few days before they headed up to the big city of Auckland.  It was really really nice to have a good friend here.

After I picked them up in New Plymouth, I took Julie & CJ to climb
Paritutu Rock for a bird's eye view of Taranaki.

The Sugarloaf Islands looked beautiful that day.

Julie & I heading back down Paritutu -
the track is a little gnarly
in sections!

Julie on Paritutu track

In Opunake, we walked around the Coastal Walkway,
complete with stiles over the cow fence.

Julie & CJ on the Opunake Coastal Walkway

Had to take them to the Dump too, to collect sea glass.
No one can resist those beautiful little gems!

Poking around town.  Opunake has over 20 murals.  The one on
the Post Office wall is especially nice.

CJ captured classic Taranaki with this shot of a calf with the mountain in the background.

CJ's stash of seaglass

This one time, at farm camp....

Opunake Primary School's annual campout was last Thursday & Friday...the entire school (minus the really little ones) pitched tents on the Collins family's farm.  Parents were encouraged to spend the night as well, and, lacking the "I have to go to work in the morning" excuse, I joined the campout.

On Thursday, the kids, parents & teachers started arriving on the farm around 6 pm.  We got our tents up quickly as dusk was moving in.  Then the kids played a few outdoor games until it was completely dark, at which point the entire school walked over to the HUGE bonfire.  There the principal read a story that was part funny/part spooky.  It was amazing...the kids all listened intently and the bonfire crackled and the morepork owls hooted in the trees (their calls sound like "more pork...more pork" hence the name).  Afterwards I was  incredulous that they were going to attempt to have the entire school roast marshmallows, but it went off without a stick in the eye or a burn...kids behaved and they took shifts by class.  After the marshmallow roast, the kids all proceeded up to another paddock where they played a few games of "spotlight".  Another amazing moment...the kids all started in one area, then when the principal said "go" they all ran screaming off in the complete pitch black through cow pastures (yes, cow patties), all 100 of them or so, and about 5 kids stayed behind with flashlights on and they attempted to shine lights on kids to illuminate them, getting them "out" before the kids tagged home base.  Again, no injuries.

Needless to say, Thursday night was a night of little sleep.  Friday morning, despite warnings to stay quiet 'til at least 7, the kids were up and chatting by about 5 am!  Then it started raining, which really moistened all those cow patties up nicely.  But by 7 there was a huge rainbow, and the kids were up and ready for action.  First game in the "bush" (a section of thick dense NZ bush with ferns, bushes & vines) was "predator"...kids were sent out in groups to locate strips of cloth with codes written on them.  They were to write down as many codes as possible without getting tagged by a "predator" (several older kids filled this role).  They loved it!  Next game was to break off into small groups and complete tasks like building shelter, building a fish net, devising a way to signal rescuers to find you, etc.

After lunch the kids got to go swim in the river, then it was time to pack up & head home.

The whole thing was really well organized, and had complete participation from all teachers.  There is no way that our legal system in the states would allow such a camp, which is a shame.  Pitching tents in cow patties, kids running through them with bare feet, swimming in the rocky river, running around in the bush, the bonfire, running around at night playing spotlight!  I reckon that the school that my kids attend in California would love to be able to embrace such a thing.  Thinking about the book "Last Child in the Woods", and the late Linda LaGrange's devotion to getting kids to learn in an outdoor environment about the world around them...this type of thing would have been right up her alley.

There is a focus in school here on being "tough".  I've noted it at other events and have discussed it with some of my new kiwi friends.  They tell me that it is a kiwi thing to take pride in being "tough".  This can mean different things to different people -  kids are really given only brief sympathy for bonks and bruises and then encouraged to move on, and that is true for other kinds of adversity as well.  Adults are supported by the community in times of trouble, and the focus is usually on being able to persevere and move forward.  In his medical office, Ken also notes MUCH less dwelling on things (pain, illness, limitations) and much more accepting what you can't change and trying to help yourself with what you CAN change.  This attitude really seems to encourage resilience in kids, adults and communities.  So it is fun to get a laugh out of the little things, like the principal telling the kids involved in a rough game "if you are going to be a boo-hoo-er, then just don't play", but overall the kiwi toughness is probably a good thing, and we could use a bit more of it in America.  Although I'm sure at times that it gets exhausting having to be so tough all the time, and the ones who aren't naturally "tough" may be marginalized at times.  I guess, like everything, it is all in the balance.

Sam, Jade & Gavin @ the bonfire...tentmates

Griffin & Blaine poking their head
 out of their tent @ daybreak!

Gorgeous double rainbow over our little "tent city in a paddock"

The school gathers for a game of "Predator" in the bush

Tents amid cow patties...especially nice after a rain!  I tried really hard not to be so "American" about it.  No one here in rural NZ even seems to notice cow poop.  During the nighttime games the kids were lying on the ground and running around in bare feet in the complete dark, unable to see what they were lying on (or in).

One aspect of the camp (and of this school in NZ) that has struck me
as being similar to Skyline elementary in Solana Beach is the cooperation
between olders and youngers during school activities and events.  I just
loved the site of several of the older kids giving piggyback rides to the
youngers as they all headed into the bush.

Gavin & his group building shelter in the bush

Mr. Frank & Mrs. Williamson
(teacher & principal)

Griffin with his teacher, Mr. Frank.  As the only male teacher in the
school, Mr. Frank is responsible for most of the outdoors and
sporting activities at Opunake Primary School.

Swim meet - school tournament

Both boys were selected to represent Opunake at a multi-school swim meet last week.  They got to miss a day of school to compete, so both were excited about it.  Gav & Grif swam well, and both of them made the finals and placed in their events.  We enjoyed the spirit of the meet - it was somewhat competitive, but really all about fun and participation.  Our elementary school in Solana Beach doesn't have interscholastic sports, and so the boys are really enjoying this part of school life here.  They have done competed in swimming, rugby and will start soon on the school's basketball teams.

Coach Frank in front of a benchful of hooligan swimmers

Griffin wins his freestyle heat

Griffin & Brody

Grif hanging in the stands with his classmates

No touchpads here - judges hand colored sticks to finishers...
orange for first, blue for second, green for third.  Low-tech, but it works!

American kid gives rugby a go

We admired Gavin's courage when he agreed to play on his school's rugby team.  He has been practicing once a week for a month, and today was his first game.  It was a school tournament (he missed the day of school for it -- boys are liking these school sports).  Although Opunake lost both games, and played against bigger stronger kids, the boys gave it a valiant effort.  We were especially proud of Gavin; although he was nervous, he gave it his all.  In the first game he scored a "try" (similar to a touchdown), breaking several tackles on the way.  In the second game he had a truly amazing tackle of a kid who had 10 inches and 20 pounds on him who seemed to be heading straight for a score.  Go Gavin!

Gav starts his run with a few guys on his tail...

...evades the early tackles...

...shrugs off the late tackles...

...and scores his first "try" (equivalent of a touchdown)!

Another great run

Team Opunake

Gavin, Samuel & Jamie