January 5th: The Te Papa Museum & Massey |
Journal Entry:
Weta Cave
Our 7th day in the class trip began with another dive into the magic of film making courtesy of Peter Jackson – we went to the prop production studio for the Lord of the Rings and Hobbits films along side countless other films like District 9 and The Adventures of Tin-Tin - Weta Cave. Pictures weren’t allowed throughout the shop as they were making new props as we toured the place, but I did get to snap pics of the 3 cave trolls from the hobbit films when Radagast and Gandalf assisted the dwarves in the attack of the cave trolls in the forest. The Te Papa Museum After the trip to Weta cave we headed to the National Te Papa museum where we met another journalist and then traveled through the museum. We got an amazing guide who I highly recommend named Mr. Rangemoana Taylor. He is Native Maori born and grew up in a Maori household in the eastern portions of the north island before studying abroad for his education and coming back to teach about his heritage. He spent about an hour and a half walking through the museum showing us the older Moa birds, earthquakes, the animals that existed here, and then we got to the Maori Exhibits where he spoke of the history and legends of his people. |
Common phrases in Maori:
- Tengata whenua = people of the land (Maori natives)
- Pakeha = foreign non-Maori (refers to the European settlers)
- Pasifika = the pacific islanders of polynesia and the pacific.
- Mana = spirit, prestige, and honor that makes up a human soul.
- Kaopapa = The teachings and lessons of respect passed down in the Maori.