This week was devoted to orientation with the Fulbright fellows. It was an interesting mix. First there were the four Axfords (my group) -who are public policy fellows, 2 in education, 1 in coastal management and me. Then there were 5 senior fellows from disciplines ranging from science history, antartica, to indigenous people. And 9 or 19 graduate students studying everything from birds to volcanoes to theater to drugs. There were 8 kids 9 and under and 3 between 11 and 15.
We started with a dinner on Monday where I finally got to try the famous Kiwi dessert called pavlova, which is essentially a big merengue with some fruit. Nicely done, but still a merengue. The girls weren't that impressed.
On Tueday we got s "behind the scenes" tour of Te Papa, the national museum. We learned a lot about Maori culture an got to see some really incredible woven cloaks made out of flax and kiwi feathers and other things. Truly lovely. There were also lots of carvings - the south pacific ones you see - what most people call tikis with the paua shell eyes. We also saw lots of clubs and weapons. They don't look too scary but are sharp and weighted in a way that it didn't take much force to eviscerate the enemy. Another cool thing was some of James Cook (explorer, cook island fame) original pressings of flora from a couple hundred years ago. Interestingly, botanists still use exactley the same processes today for pressing and drying.
On Wednesday we all went to a Maori marae - a meeting place. This one was clearly a pretty well-connected group, the Dalai Lama and Kofi Annan have been to visit. The marae is designed to symbolize a family, with the slanted roof the arms, the beams the spine and ribs. Most have a face on the front representing the ancestors. The walls were covered with elaborate carvings (again with paua shell eyes staring at you) and beautifully weavings. If you seen the movie "Whale Rider" you will have some idea of some of the rituals. You have to be invited in by a woman from the Marae singing you in. You must take off your shoes before entering. Once in there are further rituals involving speeches and singing (we had to sing! in Maori!) but the most unusual part is the hongi. The hongi is a tradition in which the breath of life is exchanged through a ritual pressing of the noses. There is no rubbing involved - just a press of noses - sometimes a press/release/press.
So imagine the group I told you about before - including children from 3 to 15 and graduate students - all lining up to press noses with the Maori community leaders. The kids were a little bit nervous but did just great. There was no giggling or snickers and they all hongi'd like pros.
We spent the night at the marae - all sleeping on mattresses in the same room. I was surprised how well I slept, since I often don't sleep well at home!
One of my favorite moments was when one of the children, a little 4 year old, came running up to her mother to show her the incredible new food one of the other children had given her. "Look Mommy," she said, " there's sugar ALL THE WAY THROUGH!" Shortly thereafter another mother confiscated another half dozen sugar cubes from her son's pocket.
This Maori iwi (sort of like a tribe) also ran a radio station and a health clinic and a weaving and carving school. They had also built 2 huge boats for the 1990 anniversary that are intricately carved - even the oars have carvings and eyes. I'll try to post some pictures soon.
Today we visited Parliament. WOW was that a different experience. NZ has a unicameral, one house, legislature and no executive and no judiciary with review authority. The idea of a limited government or checks and balances is not even considered here. The parliament is elected on a propertional representation system then the winning party's leader is Prime Minister. Executive Departments are headed by ministers appointed from among the winning party's members of parliament.
There is no constitution. With no consitution, there is no judicial review. With an executive from the legislature, there is no executive review. And there is no "upper house" that can temper the passions of a lower house. Effectively, a few people in the majority party can pass and implement any law.
I suppose government moves more quickly and efficiently, but I can't understand how this works without any group tp check the powers of such a small group. I suppose the answer is that they don't and this is why you have such a social welfare state. But having met more than a few legislators in my home state, I would haate for any of them to have virtually unchecked powers.
If you've never seen a picture of the NZ Parliament check it out. It's caled teh beehive because it looks like, well, a beehive. Best pun of the day- the coffee shop in the Beehive is called--- wait for it --- the "Bean Hive."
We heard from a few speakers today who were advocating breaking ties with England and removing the Queen as the sovereign power through the development of a constitution. Some think it won't happen while Elizabeth is alive, noting that Kiwis get befuddled when the Queen comes to town. The idea of King Charles, however, has less loyalty from these subjects, it appears.
I wonder if kiwis are ready to break more formally with England. I was shocked by a piece of homework one of the girls brought home about capitalization and identifying peoper nouns. It included a half a dozen pictures of London landmarks that you were supposed to identify. Not NZ landmarks, or even Australian ones, but London. Since we were just there last month we were able to identify most of them, but I still have no ideas what a few were. Wonder how the Maori and refugee kids do on these assignements!
