This has been a busy yet fun week. I had the usual phone calls and missionary health issues and also two days of zone conferences. At the zone conferences, the senior couples again prepared and served the lunch.
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| Senior couples prepared the lunch |
Two zone conferences last week and two this week
On Saturday, I rode with Elder and Sister Lewis to Wellsford in Northland to meet up with Elder and Sister de Lora and to attend a Matariki Kapa Haka Festival. Matariki signals the Māori New Year. It's a time of renewal and celebration in New Zealand that begins with the rising of the Matariki star cluster (the Pleiades or Seven Sisters).
There were performances by kapa haka (Kapa haka is the term for Māori performing arts and literally means 'group' (kapa) and 'dance' (haka). These were groups from primary schools and colleges (intermediate/high schools) throughout the region, plus a Matariki art exhibition open to artists of all ages. I unfortunately couldn’t find the art exhibit but awards were presented so I know it was there somewhere.
There were demonstrations and displays of raranga (flax weaving) and whakairo (carving), plus a variety of stalls selling kai (food).
I must warn you in advance that I have added numerous videos of the singers and dancers of all ages. The students were delightful and some were very talented. I couldn’t decide which videos to share so I am overloading you!! Many of them I have had to crop to be able to send them. I wish that I could have recorded and shared the full 2 plus hours of the program.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t on top of things and missed the wero but you can see the three warriors standing with their spears along side the women.
A pōwhiri is a Māori welcoming ceremony involving speeches, dancing, singing and finally the hongi. (The traditional Māori greeting, the hongi is performed by two people pressing their noses together; some include, at the same time, the touching of foreheads. The greeting is used at traditional meetings among Māori people, and at major ceremonies, such as a pōwhiri.) Pōwhiri are used for dedications of buildings, funerals and other special occasions. These rituals are also often performed for tourist groups as part of special events.
For most non-Māori speakers the wero, an aggressive challenge of the visitor at the beginning of the ceremony, is the most spectacular part of the pōwhiri. During this part of the ceremony, three Māori warriors will advance cautiously towards the guests with ceremonial weapons and perform threatening gestures and grimaces, calling out battle screams and generally giving an impression of being ready to explode into violence against the visitors at any moment. The first warrior represents the realm of Tūmatauenga, the Atua (God) of War. The third Warrior represents Rongo the Atua of Peace (Rangimarie). It is the final warrior who offers the rautapu, a signal that the manuhiri (guests) may enter the Marae-atea. Historically, it has roots in both showing off the martial prowess of the iwi's warriors, as well as testing the steadfastness of the visitors. By accepting the rautapu, a leaf or carved effigy, that the lead warrior will place on the ground before the visitors as a symbolic offering of peace, this part of the ceremony is concluded.
Speaker at the pōwhiri
Speaker at the pōwhiri
Group singing
The Hongi
This video was too long so I divided it into two parts
The pre-school
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| Beautiful braid and scarf |
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| Tile mosaic on school wall |
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| Picture around the college where the festival was held |
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| Picture around the college where the festival was held |
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| Picture around the college where the festival was held |
Performance finished
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| Tree with moss and lichen |
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| Northland barn and silo |
After we arrived back in Takapuna, the day was gorgeous and we had the time so Elder and Sister Lewis showed me the way to Lake Pupuke to feed the birds and enjoy the scenery.
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| Lake Pupuke |
Lake Pupuke is a heart-shaped freshwater lake occupying a volcanic crater (or maar) between the suburbs of Takapuna and Milford on the North Shore of Auckland, New Zealand. The heart shape is a result of its formation by the linking of two circular craters - a larger one forming most of the lake and a smaller one forming the arm in the northeast. Separated from the sea by less than 200 m at one point, it has a circumference of about 4.5 km and reaches 57m in depth.
A Māori myth surrounding the lake tells of a tupua couple, children of the fire gods. After quarreling and cursing Mahuika, the fire-goddess, their home on the mainland was destroyed by Matahoe, god of earthquakes and eruptions, on Mahuika's behalf. Lake Pupuke resulted from the destruction, while Rangitoto Island rose from the sea as their exile. The mists surrounding Rangitoto at certain times are considered the tears of the tupua couple for their former home.
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| Can you spot Sister Petersen?? |
In 1894, a pump house was built on the shore of the lake to supply fresh water to the local area. This was replaced in 1906 by a second pump house. As a result of increasing demand, the water level of the lake fell and water quality decreased. The use of the lake as a fresh water supply was discontinued in 1944 when new supplies were sourced from reservoirs in the Waitakere Ranges. The second pump house has become a Category II protected building under the New Zealand Historic Places Trust in 1983. It is now maintained as a theatre with three performance spaces including an outdoor amphitheatre.
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| The Upside Down World Map - My view from New
Zealand |
Throughout the week I felt the joy and happiness that comes when serving the Lord. I have often told people that I feel a little guilty because I feel I am having too much fun! It is hard at times because I miss my family and home and I feel bad that missionaries are ill but I know without a doubt, that the Lord is blessing me. I am happy when I pray because I know that the Lord hears my prayers. I am happy because I know that He is willing to forgive me and help me. I am happy when I feel the promptings of the Holy Ghost in my life. I am happy when I can communicate with my family and feel their love and support. I feel happiness every day because I know that I have a loving Father in Heaven watching over me and you.
We are taught in 2 Nephi 2:25 that “Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy,” Our Father wants us to be happy. I know that true happiness comes from keeping the commandments of God. I want to strive every day to keep these commandments.
Te here nei au i to'u Faaora e te here nei au ia oe i to'u utuafare e to'u mau hoa.
(translation: I love my Savior and I love you my family and friends.)
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| This ancient species of tree, the Ginkgo tree, is near the reserve where I like to walk. It is a beautiful tree with unique leaves. |
Ginkgo biloba, commonly known as ginkgo or gingko (both pronounced /ˈɡɪŋkoʊ/), also known as the maidenhair tree, is the only living species in the division Ginkgophyta, all others being extinct. It is found in fossils dating back 270 million years. Native to China, the tree is widely cultivated, and was cultivated early in human history. It has various uses in traditional medicine and as a source of food.
The leaves are unique among seed plants, being fan-shaped with veins radiating out into the leaf blade, sometimes bifurcating (splitting), but never anastomosing to form a network. Two veins enter the leaf blade at the base and fork repeatedly in two; this is known as dichotomous venation. The leaves are usually 5–10 cm (2.0–3.9 in), but sometimes up to 15 cm (5.9 in) long. The old popular name "maidenhair tree" is because the leaves resemble some of the pinnae of the maidenhair fern, Adiantum capillus-veneris. Ginkgos are prized for their autumn foliage, which is a deep saffron yellow.
Leaves of long shoots are usually notched or lobed, but only from the outer surface, between the veins. They are borne both on the more rapidly growing branch tips, where they are alternate and spaced out, and also on the short, stubby spur shoots, where they are clustered at the tips. Leaves are green both on the top and bottom and have stomata on both sides.
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