Spiritual New Zealand Journey

Aotearoa

When I was able to spend a month in the Land of the Long White Cloud, I was meant to come back with some wisdom about the spirituality of the country. What I found was that I connected with the land and the ocean in ways that are informed by my own spiritual view. I also connected with the traditional wisdom of the Maori people through visiting sacred and protected places.

In a month on the South Island of New Zealand, named Aotearoa* or the Land of the Long White Cloud by the Maori people, my understanding of myself and appreciation of my relationship to Mother Gaia was expanded and deepened. Through the experiences I had there with my wife, with our friends there, and on my own I was reawakened to my close connection with all life.

*Pronunciation guide for Maori language (not official – this is my interpretation): the vowels are pronounced the same as in Spanish- ah, ay, ee, oh, ooh.  W in the middle of a word is often pronounced like a V, and WH at the beginning like a soft F. Find out more here.

Bird Beings and Magic

In New Zealand, wildlife is first about BIRDS. There are bird species only found there, and many of them are flightless, having had no native predators. The islands of Aoteroa are also breeding grounds for migratory birds that fly from there all the way to the Arctic! And, because of the ocean and tons of coastline, plus all the estuaries, bird life is rampant. When you are camping, you have to hide your food from the cheeky Wekas, who will sneak up and grab anything that’s available before you know it. They are flightless and stealthy. The Pukeko, a swamp hen, struts around a bit like a chicken and can also make off with goodies. I saw one dash across the clearing near our camp with a tomato in its beak, while being chased by its Pukeko comrades.

Every morning, the hauntingly beautiful song of the Korimako, or Bell Bird, would ring through the air. They were very hard to spot, but my dear Kiwi friend and I were visited on the trail by a juvenile, who came closer to us as she spoke to it. It was a moment frozen in magical time, until the youngster was chased off by an older relative. Another favorite experience was a visit to the New Zealand Raptor Trust, where we met rescued Kahu Tom Thumb. There was so much to learn there, and the opportunity to have such a powerful being so close was magnificent.

Plant Magic

Then, there are the plant beings. I am a plant person, so I was energized to explore new flora. I met the Kawa Kawa, or Pepper Tree, which has medicinal uses. I was told that the Maori say the best leaves to use are the ones that have been munched by bugs.

I met Manuka trees, famous for many gifts they share with us including Manuka honey and Tea Tree oil. I loved to see the Toe Toe – beautiful wild grasses, similar to Pampas Grass.

And, even though white settlers came to NZ quite recently (1800’s) we have destroyed all but 2% of the native forests. Nikau, the only native palm tree, and Ponga, or Silver Ferns, are the stunning species that symbolize native Aotearoa.

Ocean Magic

Finally, we met some of the ocean life. We were able to watch New Zealand Fur Seals from a respectful distance, as the mothers slept on the rocks and the pups frolicked in the wave pools. We saw dolphins in huge pods, some of them repeatedly jumping high out of the water 10 or more times in a row! And besides the many and various sea birds, we saw sea stars, jellyfish and even a sea slug right from our campsite in the Marlborough Sounds, as well as phosphorescence in the waves!

Island Perspective

If all of this sounds like a travelog, that’s because it really is. I was a tourist, and I marveled at all that was new and different to me. What struck me about this place was the way that living on an island seems to help people be aware of their interdependence with the natural world. Composting rather than “throwing away” food and paper scraps was common behavior, even at campgrounds. Restrictions on harvesting food from specific areas were posted with the Maori explanations. And some places sacred to Maori people were given protected status and managed by the local Maori Iwi (local groups) along with the Department of Conservation. We all are the Keepers of our sacred world, as Carole Crowwomyn wrote in her song We Are Keepers, which is featured on the Crow Magic album, by our band the Crow Women.

Ancestor Connections

Living on the land of one’s ancestors, and keeping that connection over time through oral history, creates and maintains powerful magic just as it is told in this song, Breaths, which we recorded on our first album, Crow Goddess. Sacred places that have been used by Maori people since they arrived on Aoteroa are still sacred, and when tourists come to visit these places we are told of the connections through art and text, as we saw at Castle Hill.

Though it was a popular tourist spot, and there were quite a few people there, the carvings (pou) placed at the entrance to the area set the tone of my visit as one of respect and awe. The cloaks they wear symbolize protection of the land.

It was a place of power, and I felt the presence of sacred energy as I walked. At the end of the trail there was a farewell blessing.

Sacred Spring

We were able to pay an early morning visit to a sacred spring when no one else was around yet. Te Waikorupupu or Pupu springs is sacred and protected water, not to be touched or taken. It is used by the indigenous people in ceremony.

We strolled on a boardwalk through dense vegetation, sometimes near a small brook. It was quiet and the air felt like magick was all around. We arrived at a huge lake of deep, clear water. The still surface reflected the surrounding flora, and you could see the bottom of the lake which was at least 20 feet deep. It was an amazing place to be in the quiet of an early, misty morning. As we left, we saw the stream pouring out of the lake creating rushing whitewater cascades. It was an unforgettable experience, especially knowing the waters were protected.  When we returned to the parking area, we saw the beautiful interpretive signs about the spirit guardian of the spring and read the story of the place.

Sky Beings

From the beautiful Abel Tasman National Park it was thrilling to see the night sky so clear and with some different stars and constellations. Walking out onto the beach at night, we lay down on our backs and gazed at the Southern Cross, the Milky Way and Orion. It was a magical time, seeing the white of the ocean foam, hearing the pulse of the waves, feeling the warm sand on our backs and seeing the lights of stars and planets winking overhead. I later learned that the constellation we call the Pleiades is called the Matariki cluster by the Maori, and each of the stars have a name. Here are some beautiful artistic representations of the stars, created by New Zealand Maori illustrator Isobel Te Aho-White.

The Birth of a Song

 Being so close to the ocean for a month fed my heart and soul. I learned that every second breath we take comes from the ocean! As I reflected on this connection I began to write a song about it. I hope to expand the song and record it one day. If I do, you will find it on our website, pagansong.com. Here is a scratch recording of the song as it is evolving.

Every second breath is from the ocean
Every second breath we take inside
And all we breathe from Mother Ocean
Fills up our hearts
Keeps us alive.
All life is one
All life is sacred
If you hurt one you hurt us all
And if you heal
Through Mother Nature             
All life begins within your hands.

Ocean Song (Working Title) (c) 2024 by Deb Nielsen

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