29 Apr 2013

Still in Roturua

Me with the Pohutu geyser in the background 
A Maori Traditional concert 
Another view of lake Roturua

The Roturua National Museum

An active geyser

 Today we spent a whole day just enjoying the sights.First we went to the Roturua National Museum which was in a beautiful building, reminiscent of our own Sultan Abdul Samad building in Kuala Lumpur. Here we learnt of the coming of the Maoris to New Zealand which they call Ao Te Aroa or Land of the Long White Cloud. It was thought that the Maoris came from the pacific Islands, some of them even came from South Asia and some from as far as South America. The first group probably came over as early as the 12th or 13th century in four long canoes which they called hoka. One canoe was thought to have carried about 100 people and so it was thought that the first batch of immigrants were about 300-400 people. They first landed in the north island, which explained why most  of them can be found in the North Island. Most of the Maoris today live around and in Roturua. 


1 comment:

The Bookworm said...

This trip sounds fabulous!