Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
MAORI NZ: CANTERBURY
Only 14% of Maori live on the South Island but of those, half of them live in Canterbury. The first major tribe to
become established here were Waitaha, who were subsequently conquered and assimilated into the Ngati Mamoe
tribe in the 16th century. In the following century, they in turn were conquered and subsumed by Ngai Tahu
( www.ngaitahu.iwi.nz ) , a tribe that has its origins in the East Coast of the North Island.
In 1848 most of Canterbury was sold to the crown under an agreement which stipulated that an area of 10 acres
per person would be reserved for the tribe; less than half of that actually was. With so little land left to them, Ngai
Tahu were no longer able to be self-sufficient and suffered great financial hardship. It wasn't until 1997 that this
injustice was addressed, with the tribe receiving an apology from the crown and a settlement valued at $170 milli-
on. Part of the deal was the official inclusion of the Maori name for the most spiritually significant part of the
tribe's ancestral land: Aoraki/Mt Cook.
Today, Ngai Tahu is considered to be one of Maoridom's great success stories, with a reputation for good fin-
ancial management, sound cultural advice and a portfolio including property, forestry, fisheries and many high-
profile tourism operations.
There are many ways to engage in Maori culture in Canterbury. Artefacts can be seen at Canterbury Museum
( Click here ) , Akaroa Museum ( Click here ), Okains Bay Maori & Colonial Museum ( Click here ) and South Can-
terbury Museum ( Click here ) . Willowbank Wildlife Reserve ( Click here ) has a replica Maori village and an even-
ing cultural show. Further south in Timaru, the Te Ana Maori Rock Art Centre ( Click here ) has interactive dis-
plays and arranges tours to see centuries-old work in situ.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Hanmer Springs
POP 843
Ringed by sculpted mountains, Hanmer Springs is the main thermal resort on the South Is-
land. It's a pleasantly low-key spot to indulge yourself, whether soaking in hot pools, din-
ing out or being pampered in the spa complex. In case that all sounds too soporific, fear
not; there are plenty of family-friendly activities on offer, including a few to get the adren-
aline pumping.
 
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