Coastal Walkway

Kaikoura. April 2009 Ajr

It was very early morning when I pulled into South Bay at Kaikoura on my way north a few months back. But I had heard all about the new Kaikoura Peninsula Walkway and regardless of weather or time of day, I was determined to stop and take a look. That meant sitting in my car awhile waiting for the sun to come up and while it was still far from a perfect photographic day, I eventually got some shots. The walkway is a joint community project between Whale Watch Charitable Trust, Te Runanga o Kaikoura, the Kaikoura District Council and the Department of Conservation. Whale Watch and Te Runanga o Kaikoura have allowed access over private land for part of the walkway and its well supported by excellent information panels detailing the history, people, geology and the flora and fauna of the area. At 11.7km long, the track is a good three hours from South Bay around the coast to Kaikoura itself and even early in the morning, it was being well used by walkers and runners. These carvings are all at the South Bay end. I haven’t been able to find out anything about them yet but I am assuming they have been created by a team from Takahanga Marae in Kaikoura. I’ll get back to you when I have clarity on that – or if any readers can tell me, please leave a comment as I’m keen to find out the details.

A Whale of a Tale

All Images Courtesy of Whale Watch Kaikoura

The sleepy little east coast South Island town of Kaikoura hasn’t looked back since the day five local Maori families set up Whale Watch back in 1987. In the business’s first year of operation (1989) they carried 3,000 passengers with just one boat. Today they operate four boats and they take over 100,000 people a year out on the changeable Kaikoura waters in the hope of spotting one of the visiting whales. On paper it may have seemed like a long shot but today you have to admire the original Maori families who put their homes up as collateral to secure enough money to get started. They raised $90,000 and most of that went on the boat. Today they still own 51% of the company as a charitable trust, with the balance of shares held by Ngai Tahu. Whale Watch expanded rapidly and keeping pace with the explosive growth has been their biggest challenge

In 1994 Wally Stone joined Whale Watch as managing director, signalling a whole new mindset for the organisation. New boats, refined approaches and a strategic growth plan all cemented Whale Watch as the town’s most enterprising asset, which has fed close to $2-million back into the community. In 1989 there were five tourist operators in town, including Whale Watch. Now there are over 45, plus accommodation providers, shops, galleries, cafes and restaurants. There is a brand new supermarket and where other small towns in New Zealand are losing their banks, Kaikoura has three – not bad for a town with a population of just 3,500. And today the old railway hums to a different tune – the frenetic comings and goings of over 700 Whale Watch passengers a day - and Whale Watch, now one of New Zealand's leading tourism experiences, is a keen supporter and sponsor of local marae, schools, sports teams and community groups.

For those involved it was always about setting up a new economic base for the town when the railways moved out. Almost every Maori family in town had someone employed by the railway and their closing was a big loss to the community. It is fitting that Maori led the charge in the revitalisation of the town. Maori legend tells us that Kaikoura is the spot where Maui placed his foot to steady himself while he ‘fished up’ the North Island. Archaeological remains found there, indicate that around 900 years ago the peninsula was inhabited by moa hunters; and early Maori settlements were established in response to the region’s abundant food sources. Whale Watch today serves as the perfect reminder of what can be achieved when a small community takes charge of its own destiny; and what happens when the natural world is revered rather than exploited. www.whalewatch.co.nz

Meet the People - 9

All Images Supplied by Maori Tours, Kaikoura.

Another in the Series Meet the People – Contemporary Maori Doing Ordinary and Extraordinary Things – Maurice Manawatu (Ngai Tahu, Ngati Kuri) is a man who cares deeply about his Maori culture. He is defined by it and he is passionate about giving visitors a deeper insight into how Maori have adapted to a modern world. Kaikoura is home to Maurice and his wife, Heather and their family and both were previously employed by the highly successful Whale Watch operation for thirteen years. They decided to set up their own tourism operation – Maori Tours - in 2001 to offer an authentic and personal Maori experience based around the Ngati Kuri people of Kaikoura. “We wanted to do it in a way that was real – a conversation-based, non-performance, behind-the-scenes look at what life is like for Maori, what struggles they face, what it is like for a pakeha to be married to a Maori. A lot of pakeha want to understand more about Maori traditions and Maori have an obligation to share that,” they say.

Their intimate ‘from the heart’ tour focuses on visits to ancient Maori pa sites, (there were once 14 fortified villages on the Kaikoura Peninsula), a look into Maori traditions and a bush walk to explore traditional use of trees and plants. Maurice and Heather begin by welcoming guests into their own home and Maurice tells the stories of his ancestors - stories that reinforce traditional and modern Maori life and the spiritual connections Maori have to their environment. He introduces his visitors to his favourite Kaikoura places; he gives them an introduction to weaving with harakeke (flax); he takes them on bush walks to explain the traditional uses of trees and plants as food and medicine; and in the end, he pulls out his guitar and encourages everyone to loosen up and sing along in true Maori fashion. It’s an encounter to remember and one that goes a long way towards breaking down cultural barriers. http://www.maoritours.co.nz/