Felt Making

Today we got to see the amazing process of felt making. Felt is essential for the winterizing of gers as it serves as insulation from the harsh cold. It takes wool from about 80 sheep to create enough felt to insulate a typical ger (good thing there as so many sheep in Mongolia). After the wool has been sheered, it is prepped by a fast, repeated whipping with what looks like a switch. The wool is then collected onto a canvas sheet and sprinkled with water after which it is tightly rolled. Once the wool is rolled, the roll is attached by rope to a horse who then drags the felt roll around. The roll acts as a sort of wheel and rolls as the horse drags it. The pressure applied by the rolling is the "magic" ingredient in the felt making process, compressing the fluffy wool into a much denser (and super warm) felt.

Weather

Got cold? Mongolia sure does. The average daily temperature in Mongolia is 0 celsius. While in the Gobi it was hot during the day and I am afraid I was lulled into believing it would be warm for the rest of our travels. August is one of the warmest months in Mongolia but even so, when we headed to central Mongolia the temperatures dropped and I started piling on the layers. While it didn't get to freezing, it was cold enough to put the wood stoves in our gers to good use. Central Mongolia also proved to be much wetter than the Gobi. With the afternoon rains came this stunning rainbow. I wish my camera could have captured the full arch, but this will have to do. 

Boze

Boze is the national dish of Mongolia. These steamed dumplings are typically filled with mutton, but my host family showed me how to prepare them vegetarian style. The boze were delicious and I look forward to trying them out in the US.

Horse Racing Mongolian Style

Horses are an important part of Mongolian life. Horses are native to Mongolia. In fact, the only species of wild horse still in existence is being reintroduced to the country from populations found in zoos after going extinct in the wild in the early part of the 20th century. Horses are work animals in Mongolia. They are used to aid in herding other animals like goats and cows. Horse milk is prized and used to make a frothy fermented drink called airag. Since people in the countryside grow up riding horses, it is not surprising that horse racing is a popular pastime; what is surprising is the age of the riders. Because children are so much lighter than adults, it is children who serve as the jockeys. We watched a a 12km race of 3 year old horses and while the horses were amazing, what truly struck me was the skill and grace of the young riders. Over 50 horses and riders entered the event and the oldest rider was probably 10 or 11. For the most part the riders rode bare back and sometimes even barefoot. At the end, the prize is awarded to the horse but bragging rights certainly go to the riders.

Herding Family

 

Herding animals is a way of life in rural Mongolia. Because of the dry conditions and the long, bitter winters, grazing grounds may be far apart. As a result, herding families often have to move with their animals to better pasture lands. This movement usually takes place in the summer. A family may move several times in the summer season. When the family moves, they literally break down their house and rebuild it in the new location. Sometimes this movement is only a few miles, other times it is much further. In the winter, the family will settle in one spot. The winter home is usually a more permanent ger closer to a town. We visited the summer home of a family that herds over 400 heads of camel, sheep, and goat. They welcomed us into their ger where they shared a fermented camels milk and dry cheese curds with us. Whenever you visit someone’s home in Mongolia, it is standard to be offered a drink, usually Mongolian milk tea, and food. Even if you are not hungry or do not like what is offered, a visitor is expected to accept the hospitality by at least tasting what is offered. I will write more about the ger and how it is set up next week after we have a chance to help put up and break down a ger. After tasting the fermented camel's milk and cheese and the passing around of our host's snuff bottle (more on this in another posting), we headed outside to meet the herd. We had a chance to get up close and very personal with the camels.  Some of the camels were friendly, but others where obviously bothered by our presence. The young camels (are they called calves?) were particularly friendly and would even hold onto our arms with their mouths. Camels are used for transportation, but also for food. In summer, camels are milked and the milk is either consumed fresh or fermented into a traditional Mongolian drink. While the father of the herding family was responsible for the herding of the animals, the mother took charge of the milking. Even at a young age, the children begin to take on responsibilities with the herd. While the mother of the family we visited was milking one side of a line of goats, her son was milking the other side. I think this is how it works in farming families in America too; everyone in the family has to pitch in to make the farm a success. After we milked the camels and then the goats, it was time to head back to the school we were staying for the night. Before we left though, we all piled back into the ger for a last chance to enjoy the family’s hospitality. This time we enjoyed boiled camels’ milk from the camels we milked only an hour before. The milk was sweet and rich. The warm welcome we received and the opportunity to get a glimpse of the herding life was very special. 

Contortionists

 

Mongolia is well known for its tradition of contortionism. Have you ever seen a contortionist? The way they twist their bodies is truly amazing. In Mongolia, some girls train from a very early age to be contortionists. They must start early so that their bodies can remain flexible as they grow older. We visited an orphanage today and saw a group of 6 year old girls perform. Wow! If you visit 

Horsehead Fiddle

I am in love with the horsehead fiddle. This uniquely Mongolian instrument has a rich sound that reminds me of the cello. We were lucky enough to have students from a local highschool play for us yesterday. Why do you think the instrument has a horsehead? 

Lost and Found Treasures

Mongolia is largely a Buddhist country, though Buddhism and shamanism have merged in many ways. In our travels through the Gobi, we came across the ruins of many Buddhist monasteries. In the 1930’s, Buddhism came under attack in Mongolia as part of the communist governments militant atheistic rule. During this time, many of the monasteries and temples were destroyed and thousands of Buddhist monks were killed. But all was not lost during these dark days. We learned about the efforts of one family to preserve the religious legacy of one of Mongolia’s most revered Lama’s (Buddhist leaders), Lama Dazanravjaa. Dazanravjaa was a prolific writer, artist, and musician. At his death in 1856, he left a wealth of material, including a play that took several weeks to perform and involved more than 120 actors. When Dazanravjaa died, a special caretaker took reasonability for preserving the artistic and religious riches of his life. This caretaker then passed his knowledge of Dazanravjaa and his work on to his son so that he could preserve his legacy. By the 1930’s, this task of caretaker had passed through 6 generations. Tudev, the caretaker when the government attempted to wipe out Buddhism in Mongolia, went to extreme measures to preserve Dazanravjaa’s legacy. He carefully packed all Dazanravjaa’s treasures in crates and for 64 nights, he carted one crate into the desert to be buried in a secret location. By the 65 night, the government troops arrived and destroyed the remaining crates as well as the monestary complex developed by Dazanravjaa. Tudev guarded the secret of the crates with his life, telling no one of their location and traveling in secret to check on the treasures and ensure that they were surviving in their desert hideout. Tudev then trained his grandson to carry on this tradition, giving him special instruction from the age of 6 as to where the crates were located and how to maintain the treasures. Once the communist government fell in 1990, Tudev’s grandson, Altangerel, slowly began to dig up the crates. With limited funds, he started a museum to share the treasures with the world. The process of unveiling the contents of the crates has been slow as Altangerel has only dug up the crates for which he has adequate resources to display. There are still over 20 crates buried. Altangerel continues to protect the location of the treasures, but instead of keeping them from the communists, he is keeping them safe from treasure hunters who would like to sell the treasures on the black market. We got a chance to visit the museum Altangerel set up to share the life work of Dazanravjaa with the world and even got to meet Altangerel and get a sneak peak at the contents of the latest crate to be unearthed. This sounds like a Hollywood movie in the making to me!

Traveling in the Gobi

 

We set out on Thursday for our first trip out of the city. We started our journey via train, which took us to a provincial capital on the edge of the Gobi desert. The train ride was ten hours long and we had to close all the windows a few hours into the trip to keep out the dust. This made for one hot ride as the cars were not air conditioned. We were lucky though because we had reserved seats in berths with beds and rather than 4 to a car, we traveled with just 2 to a car. Most people on the train were in general seating with much more crowded, and consequently hot, conditions. Despite the heat, the train ride was fantastic as we got to see much of the country in a short period of time and the ride was smooth. The next leg of the journey was more difficult. Fulbright hired 4 4wd vehicles to transport our group and all our bags and supplies deep into the Gobi. You need 4wd in the Gobi because there are no roads as such. People choose a path that looks relatively smooth and go for it. If enough people follow the same path, a new “road” is created. It was not unusual for there to be the equivalent of a 6 lane dirt highway running through the middle of the desert. The ride was consistent only in its bumpiness but again, we were fortunate, had we been traveling in true Mongolian fashion, we would have all piled in with the supplies and taken only 1 vehicle. Our desert caravan went along fine for about an hour but then trouble started. Our fuel pump went out and we limped along for the next 10 hours, stopping every 3-5 minutes to fiddle with the fuel line before we finally gave up, abandoning the vehicle and piling into the remaining vehicles. The rough driving circumstances can lead to all sorts of car troubles, so this was not entirely unexpected. In fact, I was quite pleased to be having what could be considered a quintessential Gobi experience. What was planned to be a 6 hour trip wound up being over 15 hours long. Ah, life in the Gobi. Once we arrived at our destination, we got to experience several other popular modes of Gobi transportation. When we visited a camel herding family, we had a chance to try our hand at riding a camel. This is a good way to get around as camels are well suited for the terrain and climate. Though camels are not as common a mode of transportation as in the past, they are still used in the countryside, especially when herding families move to find better pasture land for their animals. We also saw the son of the herder using a bicycle to round up the family goats for milking. Motorcycles are another popular means of getting around, at least in the summer, as they are inexpensive, fast, and easy to maneuver around ruts and rough patches in the roads. Horses are also very common because they provide flexibility over rough terrain and can be helpful for herding other animals. Horses are indigenous to Mongolia and we not only saw domesticated horses, but we got a chance to see wild asses racing across the desert. 

Throat Sung Welcome

Our first evening in Mongolia we were welcomed with a special performance of traditional Mongolian music. Perhaps the most famous and amazing musical form from Mongolia is throat singing. Throat singing involves manipulations of the vocal cords and throat to create unique sounds. This article in Scientific American explains the science behind throat singing. Our welcome reception also provided us with an opportunity to meet our homestay host families. After we get back from the Gobi desert, we will stay with our host family for 2 nights. I am looking forward to experiencing day to day life with a Mongolian family.

A Study in Contrasts

Today I flew from Beijing, the capital city of China to Ulaanbaatar, the capital city of Mongolia. China is one of the most populous countries in the world and Bejiing is one of its largest cities with over 16 million people. Many people get around Beijing by bike but increasingly people are driving which s causing major traffic issues and lots and lots of pollution. Mongolia, China's neighbor to the north, has a total population of less than 3 million people and has one of the lowest population densities (think # of people per square mile) in the world. Over 1 million Mongolians live in Ulaanbaatar and more are relocating from the countryside everyday. I took this photo from the plane as we descended for landing. It shows the vastness of the Mongolian landscape. If you look closely you will see a few gers dotting the landscape. Can you imagine living in such a large country with fewer people than live in the Washington DC metropolitan area?

South, Way South

Christchurch was our last stop in New Zealand before heading to Mongolia. Because of Christchurch's southern location, it is a jumping off point for expeditions to Antarctica. Both the US's McMurdo Station and New Zealand's Scott Base are accessed from air via Christchurch. As a result, there is a major training and supply center located at the airport. We had the chance to visit the International Antarctica Centre just as we were leaving. This center provides regular folks like me the chance to experience the harsh conditions of Antarctica and to learn more about the research that goes on on the southern most continent of the world. Did you know that body hair grows twice as fast in Antarctica? Why do you think that might be? If you spend time in Antarctica, especially in the winter, you are also likely to gain weight. Your body works to create an extra layer of fat around your organs to protect them from the cold. In the simulation room, we got to experience what being in a wind storm in Antarctica would be like. Brrrrrrrr. We also got a chance to take a ride in a Hagglund, the extreme terrain vehicles used to get around in the unique conditions in Antarctica. These vehicles can travel over large crevices in the ice, through deep water and on steep inclines. The ride was bumpy, but exciting and it was a great way to say goodbye to New Zealand!

Sperm Whales

Sperm Whales are one of the largest animals in the world, larger than a 747 aircraft! We went on a whale watching trip in Kaikura that not only allowed us a glimpse at these elusive creatures, but also provided fabulous views of the snow peaked mountains, rollicking dolphins, and albatross birds. Only the male sperm whale makes it as far south as New Zealand as the water is too cold for the female whales and their young. The sperm whale spends most of its time underwater, so we were lucky to catch a glimpse of them as they reoxygenated on the surface. Once a sperm whale dives, it will stay underwater for 30-45 minutes. The longest recorded sperm whale dive was over 2 hours long. Can you imagine holding your breath for 2 hours?

Black Sand

I saw a beautiful black sand beach today. Can you figure out why the sand is black?

Rugby

One of the most popular sports in New Zealand is rugby. When the national team, the All Blacks, play one of their big rivals like Australia or South Africa, the country seems to come to a halt. Last week, the All Blacks played against the South African Springboks. Because the game was played in South Africa it wasn't until 3 am New Zealand time. Despite the very late start, many fans were out in force to watch their team. Today, I came across a big game between two rival high school boys' teams. Rugby is a little like American football but to my untrained eyes, seems much more free form and rough. Girls' rugby is gaining popularity in New Zealand but stills lags far behind boys' rugby.

Of mussels and seals and other New Zealand Wildlife

Today we visited The Cawthron Institute, an aquaculture research group. Think about the word aquaculture. Does it sound like any other words you know? When I first heard the word aquaculture I thought the person was saying agriculture and I wasn't far off. If agriculture is farming (both in terms of raising animals and plant crops) that takes place on land what do you think aquaculture is?
Aquaculture is farming that takes place in water. You might be asking yourself what sorts of things you could farm in the water. Increasingly, varieties of fish, crustaceans and mollusks are being raised commercially in aquaculture farms. Often, these "fish farms" are actually situated right in large bodies of water like an ocean or lake. The Cawthron Institute works to develop better ways to raise seafood products like green mussels. The institute develops optimal nutrient rich waters and algae as food sources for their aquatic "crops" and they also work to create artificial habitats that allow them to grow more in less space and with fewer resources. The researchers have to understand the biology of their crops, as well as be able to problem solve and even design new ways to keep help their sea life happy. The picture of the bucket pouring water into the tank is an example of the kind of Kiwi innovation that takes place at Cawthron. They had originally purchased an expensive tank system for their oysters but found that the oysters were constantly getting out of the tanks and where not maturing as expected. To create an environment that more closely resembled the natural habitat of the oysters, one of the Cawthron researchers developed a system where buckets fill and dump water into the tanks at regular intervals, thus keeping the water aerated while reproducing the sensation of surf for the oysters. Who would have guessed that visiting a fish hatchery would be so interesting?

After Cawthron, we headed further south where we encountered a black beach with a colony of New Zealand fur seals. When New Zealand was first settled by the Europeans, the fur seal population was virtually wiped out by hunting. As the name suggests, the fur of fur seals was a hot commodity. Now the seals are protected and their numbers are once again rising. The government and people of New Zealand have worked hard to keep New Zealand's natural environment in good shape. Protecting native species like the fur seals is one important way this is done but another key way Kiwis are working to keep New Zealand's natural environment in check is by very careful regulation of any species of plant or animal coming into the country. In the not so distant past, many species of plants and animals were introduced to New Zealand by settlers. Sometimes this was intentional, as in the case of deer and possums. Very often when species from other places are introduced to New Zealand, they take over, spreading quickly and killing off native species in process. This throws the naturally world out of balance and can cause major problems. In the case of possums, New Zealand is fighting back. As part of their possumm eradication efforts, people are setting traps and selling the possums they catch to make possum fur products like socks and hats!

Te Wai Pounamu or The South Island

New Zealand is made up of two main islands. In English, these islands are known as the North and South Islands but in Maori, they are referred to as Te Ika a Maui and Te Wai Pounamu respectfully. Te Ika a Maui or "the fish of Maui", refers to the fish like shape of the northern island. This name comes from a Maori legend about how the god Maui hauled the island up from the sea while fishing. Te Wai Pounamu means "place of greenstone" and refers to the island's outcrops of jade. The greenstone of the island is one of the hardest substances on earth and was used by the Maori to craft weapons and jewelery. You can still find many beautiful greenstone carvings throughout New Zealand. We spent the first 11 days of our trip on Te Ika a Maui but today we took a ferry to Te Wai Pounamu. In addition to the beautiful greenstone, Te Wai Pounamu is known for its stunning mountains, commonly referred to as the Southern Alps. As we traveled southward, we could just make out the majestic outline of the snowcapped mountains.

Hongi

This morning, we said goodbye to our fabulous bus driver George. George was much more than our bus driver, he served as our guide and leader as we learned about traditions of the Maori people. One of the most important Maori traditions is the powhiri or welcome. In this picture, I am engaging in a hongi with George. A hongi is a traditional form of greeting among the Maori and is the final step in the powhiri. To hongi, you hold the hand of the person you are greeting as though you were shaking their hand while placing your other hand on their shoulder. You then lean forward and lightly press your forehead to the other person's forehead and your nose to their nose. This light pressing of noses may be repeated once. The pressing of noses symbolizes an exchanging of breath. After breath has been exchanged, a visitor is no longer seen as a visitor and instead is welcomed as a (temporary) member of the Maori group he or she is visiting.

Mountains, Glorious Mountains

Today I made a snow angel. Perhaps I was snow deprived in my childhood (alas, not so much snow in Alabama) and so I am trying to make up for it as an adult. It is one of those stunning winter days and the cold, sharp air has assaulted my lungs so that I am hyper aware of every breath I take. It is strange, but I somehow feel more alive when I am on a mountain top. I am on the ski slopes of Mount Ruapehu (an active volcano, eek) in Tongariro National Park and I am down right giddy.

Tongariro NP was the first national park in the world created by a bequest of an indigenous people. The Maori leaders wanted to ensure that the sacred mountains were prote cted from development and so agreed to allow the area to be designated a national park. Maori legend has it that seven mountains once clusstered around Lake Taupo, six blusstering warriors and the beautiful Pihanga. The fierce mountains all vied for the affections of Pihanga until their jealosuies literally erupted into a battle that eventually drove the mountains apart. These volcanic giants were thus divided by their rage. Because the of rich cultural signifigance and the geological marvels, Tongariro was designated a dual World Heritage Park.

Geothermal Hotspot

Today was brilliant! We started the day from the town of Rotorua, which is known for its geothermal activity. The word geothermal comes from the Greek roots geo, meaning earth, and thermos, meaning heat. New Zealand is situated within the "ring of fire", a region of intense geologic activity including many earthquakes and volcanoes (you may have seen a report on the news about the large earthquake last week in the South Island of NZ). There are several active volcanoes around Rotorua and the activity beneath the surface of the earth has resulted in a variety of surface hot spots. Walking through town, you will see steam rising from the ground through vents. There are also various hot springs throughout the area. The geothermal activity is unpredictable and it is not uncommon for someone to wake up in the morning to find a plume of steam coming out of their front yard. We also saw the Pohutu Geyser at Whakarewarewa, and enjoyed a soak in the natural hot springs in the town center. The Maori who originally settled in the area used the hot springs for cooking, heating, and bathing. When the European settlers came, they quickly discovered the delights of bathing in the hot springs. They also believed that the mineral waters provided health benefits. The town built up as a tourist destination around the hot springs and today, tourism is the main industry of Rotorua. The heart of the geothermal activity near Rotorua is Waimangu Vocanic Valley. Here we saw beautiful geothermal waters, including inferno crater. Today, people harness the geothermal energy of the are with an extensive geothermal power plant that provides 4% of the power for New Zealand. Tapping into geothermal energy is great because it is a clean, renewable form of energy.
to

Haka

The Haka is a traditional dance of the Maori. The haka has been made famous world wide by the All Blacks (the national Rugby team of New Zealand). At the start of each game, the All Blacks perform a war haka as a sort of challenge to the opposing team. Yesterday, I was lucky enough to get a chance to visit a wonderful primary school in Rotorua called Selwyn Primary School. The kids performed their own version of the haka to welcome us. They were so passionate and vigorous in their performance! We also saw a Maori cultural show where a haka was performed. While hakas are often associated with men, women can also perform hakas.

Sheep Herding

New Zealand has more sheep than people, way more sheep than people. The population of New Zealand is approximately 4 million and the number of sheep is estimated to be around 40 million. How many sheep per person is that? The economy of New Zealand is largely based on agriculture and forestry. To learn more about these industries, we visited two facilities in the Rotorua area, a research center that focuses on how to grow better trees faster and the Agrodome, an agricultural tourism center. At the forestry center, we learned that the most popular tree for lumber in New Zealand is actually from California. While Monterey Pines grow slowly in California, because of the rich volcanic soils and year round rainfall in parts of New Zealand, these trees can grow very quickly here. A tree that may take 100 years to mature in California could be ready to harvest in only 25 years in New Zealand. At the Agrodome we had the chance to see a sheep herding demonstration, feed alpacas, pick kiwi fruits from the vine, and get up close and personal with some sheep.

Kauri Trees

I love trees! Today we had a chance to visit a New Zealand rain forest. Did you know that New Zealand has rain forests? These forests do not look like the tropical rain forests of Costa Rica or Brazil, but because they get so much steady precipitation, they are still rain forests, kind of like the rain forests of the Pacific Northwest. Tane Mahuta, the largest tree in New Zealand and one of the largest living things in the world (only the redwood sequoias of California are larger), measures 51.5 meters tall, with a girth of 13.77 meters. Tane Mahuta is a kauri. The kauri are a slow growing tree and scientist believe that it took thousands of years for Tane Mahuta to grow to its current size. We had to be careful as we approached Tane Mahuta because the root system of these trees is very delicate and could be disturbed by human foot traffic. The kauri trees have great commercial value and much of kauri forests were chopped down long ago. Because they are such slow growing trees, they cannot simply be replanted and wait for new trees to grow to maturity. New Zealand’s conservation efforts have created protected spaces for the remaining patches of kauri forests. Now we will be able to enjoy these majestic trees for generations to come. The kauri tree also has special significance for the Maori. According to Maori legend, Tane is the son of Ranginui the sky father and Papatuanuku the earth mother. As a child, Tane tore his parent’s apart and then clothed his mother in the forest. It is believed that all living creatures of the forest are Tāne’s children. Our bus driver George shared a special Maori song to mark our visit to Tane.

Early Books in New Zealand

Our exploration of New Zealand’s history continued in Russell, a town off the north eastern coast of New Zealand that served as a center for trade in the early days of European settlement. Early European settlers to New Zealand quickly established missionary posts. The English settlers established Protestant missions while the French established Catholic missions. One of the primary means the missionaries had of spreading their faith was through distributing religious writings such as the bible. In Russell, the French mission set up a printing press in order to print religious materials in the Maori language. Though the Maori language was originally an oral language, when the Europeans came, they quickly adopted Maori into a written form. We were able to visit the French mission and see a recreation of the book making operations from the tanning of the leather binding to the handset printing and the stitching of the spines. Books were very labor intensive to produce and yet the missionaries worked side by side with Maori to print over 6000 books. It was interesting to see the role books played in the early days of European settlements.

The Treaty of Waitangi

Today we headed from Auckland north to the Bay of Islands and in the process stepped back in time to the year 1840. When the first explorers from Europe came to the land we now know as New Zealand they encountered a vibrant Maori culture. There were tensions between the new settlers and the Maori, tension over land and resources, tensions that often erupted into battle. Not only were the British vying for control over New Zealand, but so too were the French. In an effort to solidify their influence, the British drew up a treaty with the Maori that would give the British crown and not the French access to the lands of the Maori. The treaty, known as the Treaty of Waitangi, was negotiated with over 500 Maori chiefs and was ultimately signed by 25 of the 28 Maori tribes. While aspects of the treaty are still debated to this day, the Treaty of Waitangi paved the path for the British and the Maori to live and work in New Zealand in peace. We visited the sight of the treaty signing where you will find a navel flagstaff flying 3 flags of New Zealand, the Union Jack from Britain, the original United Tribes trading flag that combined elements of Maori and British influences and the current flag that combines the two. We also had the good fortune to visit a Marae erected on the treaty grounds to commemorate the historic negotiations between Maori leaders leading up to the ratification of the treaty. Each of the 28 Maori tribes is represented in a stunning carving that depicts the unique genealogy of the tribe. When the Maori speak of genealogy they mean more than just their human ancestors, they also refer to the land their people come from. The mountain, river and land associated with a tribe is represented in their carving. These carvings are an amazing form of storytelling and create a truly unique historical record.

Pacifika

Many people think of New Zealand as a country composed of two major ethnic groups, the Maori who originally settled New Zealand and the decedents of European colonizers. Today we leaned about another major cultural group represented in New Zealand, the Polynesians, who include people from places like Samoa, Fiji, the Cook Islands, Tonga and Tahiti. With over 6% and growing of the entire New Zealand population and nearly 11% of Auckland’s population, Polynesians represent a major cultural and linguistic influence in New Zealand. Our day started with a trip to a farmer’s market that specializes in Maori and Pacifika produce including taro root. Later, we went to The Pacific Arts Centre where we not only received a very warm welcome, but were also given instruction by the center’s “Mamas” in traditional art forms from Pacifika including dance, music and weaving. In this video clip, you can see traditional dance and music. The swaying of the hips corresponds to the rhythms of the ocean waves and the island breezes. The music was played on drums made from lead wood and a ukulele. We had a chance to try our hands at dancing and playing the drums but I’m afraid we didn’t do justice to these beautiful art forms.

A Maori Welcome

This morning, I literally hit the ground running in Auckland, New Zealand. My flight from Honolulu arrived at 6:30 am and I immediately headed to the harbor to run among the Kiwis (people from New Zealand are known as Kiwis). Auckland is the largest city in New Zealand and it was wonderful to take in the beautiful waterfront area first thing. Because we crossed the international date line, we lost a day in the process of flying from Hawaii; it was July 15 when we left and we arrived on July 17. Our first tourist stop in New Zealand was the Auckland War Memorial Museum where we learned about the traditions surrounding the Marae of the Maori. The Maori are the people who first settled New Zealand nearly 1000 years ago. The Maori people and their culture are an integral part of life in modern day New Zealand. While the Maori are very much a contemporary people, their daily life is steeped in rich traditions. We learned a tremendous amount about Maori traditions today; hopefully what I am going to describe is accurate. At the center of Maori communities are the Marae , or meeting spaces. These structures are where Maori tribes welcome guests into their community. They may be very simple structures. or, as in the case of the Marae at the museum, be filled with elaborate carvings that both tell stories and represent the genealogy of the tribe. When we arrived at the Auckland Museum, we were lucky enough to be welcomed into a Marae through the powhiri (ceremonial welcome). This welcome is a process that moves a visitor from the status of outsider to the status of insider so that they can be, for the duration of their stay, part of that tribe and thus carry the tribe’s protections. The powhiri is an opportunity for people to discover their connections and acknowledge their ancestors and home. Singing is one way that information is exchanged in the powhiri. As part of our welcome, we sang a waiata song we had practiced the day before for just such an occasion. The formal greetings are part of what is know as protocol and it is very important that you follow protocol. Our bus driver, George, is a Maori from north of Auckland and he helped walk us through this process. I feel very lucky to have been able to participate in such a fundemental aspect of Maori life on my very first day in New Zealand. I was able to purchase a book for the library all about the marae so you can learn much more come Septemeber. Oh, and one more thing, New Zealand is known as Aotearoa in the Maori language which means land of the long white cloud.

My too brief time in Hawaii is almost over. We head out for New Zealand this evening. Yesterday, we got a brief orientation to Mongolia. It sounds like we have some amazing experiences in store for us including building a ger (a Mongolian style house), making felt, and participating in a horse race. Yesterday evening we shifted from Mongolia to New Zealand by going to a Polynesian dance performance. Polynesia covers a vast area in the Pacific Ocean and includes Hawaii, Samoa, Fiji and New Zealand. There are strong cultural ties between Polynesian nations and it was interesting to see these connections through the various dances. One of the most famous Polynesian dances is the Samoan fire dance, also known as nifo oti(see picture) . Today, we learned about the migration of people through Oceania. We also got a chance to meet with the mayor of Honolulu. Did you know that New Zealand was the last area of the earth where humans settled?

The Adventure Begins!!

My adventure has finally begun! Early, early yesterday morning I headed to Dulles Airport to catch a flight to LA. We left at 6:00 am and arrived at 8:30 am but the flight was 5 ½ hours long. How is that possible? From LA, we got on another plane headed for Honolulu. This flight left at 11:30 and arrived 2:45. We were in the air for 5 hrs and 15 minutes. Have you figured out how this is could be? When you move east or west around the earth, the time changes. DC is in the Eastern Time Zone but Hawaii is in the Hawaiian Time Zone and is 6 hours behind. When it is 7 am in DC it is 1 am in Hawaii. When we get to New Zealand on Thursday, we will cross the international date line. On one side of the line it is one day and on the other it is a different day. Why does the time change? Why don’t we have just one time zone all around the world? Here is a photo of the teachers I will be traveling with for the next 6 weeks. They are from all over the US and teach a variety of subjects and grades. I am excited to have the opportunity to learn about their home communities, their schools and their students as we travel. I am now at the Korean Studies Center at the University of Hawaii getting ready to start my trip orientation. I got a chance to check out beach culture at Waikiki Beach yesterday (photo coming as soon as I connect my camera) but other than that brief time we will be in class until we leave for New Zealand.



I hope you are all having a fabulous summer and are reading lots of great books. I am looking forward to hearing about your book and real life adventures in September. I have been trying out a new way to “read” great books. I have been listening to e-audio books from the DC Public library while I run in the mornings. I can download the books from the library website and transfer them to my mp3 player in just a few minutes. This is a great way to get more books into my day. Right now I am listening to The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo. I also have Alvin Ho and Luck Breaks in my listening queue. Listening to e-audio books is great when you are traveling. For all those Percy Jackson fans out there, all six books are now available in eaduio form. So if you are hitting the road, the seas, or the air, be sure to take a few audio books along.

Oh, and for those of you who are fans of I’d Tell You I Love You, But Then I ‘d Have to Kill You, the author, Ally Carter will be at Politics & Prose on July 16 at 4:30 to talk about her latest installment in the series. I won’t be able to make it for obvious reasons but I hope some of you will get a chance to meet this exciting new author and spend some time in a fantastic book store. Be sure to ask for recommendations from the staff in the children’s department, they really know their stuff. In other book news, I was lucky enough to get a chance to check out the Biography Book Store and Magnolia Bakery that played so prominently in Cornelia and the Audacious Escapades of the Sommerset Sisters on a recent to trip to NYC. For those of you who have not had a chance to read this book, it is a great read and a fun way to see the world through literature.

Viewing the World From the Southern Hemisphere

New Zealand is in the Southern Hemisphere (south of the Equator). This world map is an alternative view of the world with the Southern Hemisphere on top. What do you think?

Welcome

Greetings from Ms. Van Ells!

I am so glad you came to visit my New Zealand and Mongolia blog. I am writing this in May (well before my July 13 depature) so that I can introduce you to the site and how blogs work before the school year ends. Between now and July 13, I will be doing lots of preparation for my trip by visiting my local library and reading books about New Zealand and Mongolia. I will write posts reviewing some of the books I have been reading so be sure to check back for book recommendations. I will also share some of the websites I visit to prepare for my trip. Please write comments and questions and I will try to respond as best I can.

Happy Reading,
Ms. Van Ells