Words
- by Bianca M. Saia
- published from New Zealand
- on 2010.03.16
Culture (or lack thereof) in New Zealand
When Lynn Barber, star journalist at The Guardian, informed her kiwi friends she would visit New Zealand, their reactions were remarkably alike:
“Beautiful scenery,” they told her. “Really nice friendly people – you’ll hate it.”
Lynn wrote that to love this country one must really like nature and not be too discriminating when it comes to culture. NZ, she said, is a terrestrial paradise in countless ways, a clean country with virgin land and pristine air where landscapes that take your breath away come fast and without relent.
- by Roberto Rocha
- published from New Zealand
- on 2010.03.16
Rotorua: the Maori Disneyland
The lady at the tourist information desk was surprised. Surprised that we wanted to try a hangi, a traditional Maori meal steamed in sulphur pits, on its own.
That is, without the Vegas-looking dance performance with it.
“I’m sorry, you can only have the hangi as part of a package,” she said.
So began our disappointing stay at Rotorua, one of New Zealand’s top destinations, partly because of the strong Maori presence there. The brochures promise an authentic cultural experience, full of folklore, sing, dance, and food.