Stray Cat Shuffle (Part Deux)

Still Saturday, February 11

After we left Waitomo we rolled on through Te Puke (the kiwifruit capitol of the world) and then onto our final destination for the evening - the small town of Maketu, located in the beautiful Bay of Plenty.

As we get closer to Uncle Boy’s Place, Miss P gives us a rundown of the schedule of events. More importantly, she gives us a friendly warning. Before we hop off the bus, we’re told Uncle Boy will hop on to welcome us and give us some more information about what’s happening this evening. When Uncle Boy appears, we are to greet him with a rousing “KIA ORA!” (the traditional Maori greeting), yelling in unison as loudly as we can. If we fail in our mission, we will be tormented in Uncle Boy’s good natured way. We will also be tormented if we refuse to participate in any of the activities this evening. We practice shouting out our “KIA ORA!” a few times and when Uncle Boy steps on, the big smile on his face tells us he’s not disappointed.

Uncle Boy is a man who takes his culture and history very seriously - and he loves nothing more than to share it with others. And that’s the whole point of his marae really. It is a “living” marae, he tells us, and is more like an educational centre where visitors are expected to participate instead of just standing around and passively observing the culture from a distance (as they would at a museum). After his warm welcome, Uncle Boy invites us to come on into the marae, hang our wet things out on the clothesline and put our beers in the fridge.

In the kitchen area, after we’ve all helped ourselves to tea and coffee and taken our places at the rows of tables, Uncle Boy sits at the front of the room. He wants to get to know us a little better and find out where we’re from, so he starts yelling out the names of various countries and when we hear ours, we raise our hands. When the three Swedish girls stick their hands up in the air, Uncle Boy smiles and says “Ahhh…ABBA!” (Not many of us may know Swedish, but the language of ABBA is universal.

Next, Uncle Boy lays down the law. This is how it will go - after we’ve enjoyed a hot, home cooked meal, everyone will gather together in the room next door to take in a Maori cultural performance consisting of the haka (a series of movements, traditionally performed by Maori warriors before battle, that includes bulging eyeballs, flailing tongues and just overall fierceness) and the poi (a dance that consists of rhythmically swinging strings with balls attached at the ends). After this, the guys and girls will separate and the guys will learn the haka (shirtless and all!) while the girls will learn the poi (we can leave our shirts on, if we want to, Uncle Boy adds with a laugh). After our lessons, the guys will perform for the girls and vice versa. Uncle Boy goes on to say that if any one of us doesn’t take part in the festivities or give it their all, that is fine - but we will be signalled out and ridiculed to no end. As I said, Uncle Boy is very proud of his culture and the only way to ensure its survival is by passing it along and teaching others the traditional ways.


Uncle Boy, layin' down the law. Photo courtesy of Heather S.

Before we do anything, however, Uncle Boy assigns our group a traditional Maori name and tells us that we must choose a leader. This is usually the oldest male of the group, but since that particular person in our group doesn’t feel up to the task, we are allowed to choose another. Canadian Nate, who everyone loves, is chosen unanimously, so after a round of applause, he stands and Uncle Boy proceeds to give him (and the rest of us) instructions.

Before the performance, Uncle Boy goes on to say, a young “warrior” will start the ceremony by coming out to greet us, spear swinging. Nate and the warrior will look at each other directly in the eyes and are to hold this eye contact throughout the whole encounter. The warrior will then place a leaf upon the ground before our leader. Nate is to pick up this leaf (keeping eye contact the whole time) as a sign of respect and acknowledgement that his intentions are friendly. If Nate moves forward before he is supposed to, oversteps his bounds or is disrespectful in any way, Uncle Boy tells us that we will be asked to collect our things, get back on the bus and leave. This has never happened before, he says, and so he doesn’t want to see it happen to us. (Not sure how serious Uncle Boy is about all this, but judging by the look on his face, nobody is going to test him.) Once this ceremony is finished, all of us will be officially welcomed inside to enjoy the show.

Uncle Boy believes that since we’re all travelling together and sharing in all of these activities, that we should probably know each other a bit better than we do. He challenges one of us to stand, look around the tables and name as many people as they can. Irish Brian accepts the challenge, stands up and starts pointing and riddling off names, starting with our table: “Christa, Heather, Linda, Jay, Craig…” and on and on he goes. Uncle Boy is obviously impressed and pleased by this. But still, he says, he bets some of us have hardly spoken a word to each other since we’ve hopped on the bus (and, seeing how there’s about 60 of us, he’s probably right). So, he asks us all to get up, go around the room and talk to someone we’ve never spoken to before. Jay and I chat with a couple of Irish girls that just got on the bus, as well as three guys from the Netherlands (probably the youngest dudes on the whole bus) who were sitting directly in front of us on the first day (even still, Uncle Boy is right - we’ve never said a word to them…until now). That’s one of the things that I love most about this Stray trip - aside from doing so many insanely fun activities, you get to meet awesome people from all over the world.

After this rather intense info. session, Uncle Boy stands, smiles and invites us to help ourselves to the buffet-style dinner - chicken, beef, stuffing, potatoes, peas, salad, coleslaw, etc…and a veggie quiche for the vegetarians. Once we’re all stuffed, we help clean up in the kitchen. In the washroom, I run into one of the ladies who helped prepare the meal and is now putting on a costume. I tell her the food was delicious and how good it was to have a home cooked dinner after eating on the run so much. She gives me a warm smile and says thank you. She seems very sweet and grandmotherly. For this reason, I shall refer to her as "Maori Nan." (I mean no disrespect whatsoever by this. As a matter of fact, this kind lady kinda reminds me of my own nan a bit - which is one of the highest compliments I can give someone.)

In a little bit, we gather behind Nate in the room next door and watch as the fierce young warrior begins the ceremony. Nate, of course, plays his part perfectly. After the boy joins the rest of the performers, Nate walks towards Uncle Boy, shakes his hand, says “Kia Ora,” and then presses his forehead and nose against Uncle Boy’s. This is known as a “hongi” and is the traditional Maori way of greeting someone. It is a lovely tradition - probably my favourite in New Zealand.


Chief Canadian Nate, preparing to hongi Uncle Boy. Photo courtesy of Heather S. 

After Uncle Boy, Nate goes on to "hongi" the performers, then joins them at the end of the line. The next person in our group goes up to Uncle Boy, does the hongi, then moves onto the performers, then Nate, then joins the line, and on and on it goes. I'm near the end of the line, so by the time it's my turn, there are well over 60 people circling the room. I walk up to Uncle Boy, shake his hand and say "Kia Ora." "Ahhaaa...good job," he says with a big smile as he presses his forehead and nose against mine. I then move onto the performers. When I reach Maori Nan, she smiles, puts both hands on my arms and hauls me in for a good ol' hearty hongi. I then move onto the rest of the performers, then Nate, then all the other Strays. I'm half dizzy by the time I'm through. I have never in my life touched noses with so many people! The hongi is really a great way to get close to people - literally!

Once the hongi is through, we all sit along the side of the room while the performers entertain us with traditional Maori songs and dances. Even though the guys in the group are fairly young, when they perform the haka, they exhibit a fierceness and wisdom beyond their years. I try to imagine what it would've been like to encounter a group of Maori warriors doing the haka centuries ago. I come to the conclusion that it would be absolutely terrifying. Have a look for yourselves. (Click the image to see the video.)



Once the guys are through stomping their feet, beating their chests and waggling their tongues at us, the ladies take over with the much softer and gentler poi. Traditionally, the poi was performed by women to strengthen their wrists for things like weaving, and by warriors to strengthen their wrists for battle (back then, the ball at the end of the string would've been a stone, not the balled up plastic bags that the performers are using). I have no idea what the ladies are singing, but it has a nice tune and you can't help tapping your toes to the rhythm.


The pros perform the poi. 

Once the performers are finished, they announce that it's our turn to step up to the plate. The Stray guys follow the male performers into the dining area, while the girls stay in the room with the female performers. Each of us is given a string with balled up bags attached to the ends. We form several lines across the room and do our best to keep up with the pros while trying not to hit each other in the head. One of the younger girls strolls along the lines eying us up and down, like a drill sergeant inspecting the new recruits. We're instructed to "catch, catch, swing swing catch" (swinging the ball up to meet our hands) over and over again, keeping time with the words of a tune that none of us understand, all the while swaying our hips to the beat. Clearly, some of us are having trouble keeping track of all this. "I pretend that I'm looking at a good looking guy," one of the performers tells us as she swings her hips back and forth. After a few runs, the back line gets bumped to the middle while those in the middle line (that's me!) move up to the front and the front moves to the back, so that we all get a chance to shine (or something like that!) in the spotlight. When we (kinda) become a bit more inept, the guitarist picks up the pace and we swing our strings faster and faster. When the music stops, we can hear the guys in the next room shouting their lungs out like a bunch of hungry savages chasing after a runaway hog. We snicker amongst ourselves but that ends once it's announced that we're ready to perform for each other. One of the ladies tells us to take a seat along the side of the room while we wait for the guys to enter. She tells us to encourage them by clapping and cheering loudly and stomping our feet. This is harder for them than us, she says, since they're going to be sans shirts and all, so a little encouragement will go a long way. As soon as the guys march into the room, we hoot and holler as loudly as we can. It seems to be working, as the guys give it their all and put on a fine show. Have a look (again, click the image to see the video).


The Stray guys perform the haka (or at least try to. : )


Just lookit these brutes (there's Jay near the back, in the centre, with shaved head and glasses. 

They guys have a bit of an extra challenge, as they have to say the words of the haka as they perform (which is posted on the wall for them, but still - you try saying this stuff correctly while you're doing your damnedest to display your fierce face).


"Tongue out eyes wide and angry." Yup, that about sums it up!

Next, it's our turn. We swap places with the guys and form our lines. I nab a spot in the middle line. I figure it's a safe bet - not right up in front and not too far in the back so that I'll get signalled out. It doesn't matter though, because after we perform once, we go right back into it again - but not before switching positions. I'm glad we had a fair bit of practice beforehand!

From Shared New Zealand Album 2

I'm in the aqua-coloured shirt near the middle, trying very hard not to knock someone in the noggin'.

After we've all had a chance to soak in the spotlight, the pros jump back up, hold hands and sway back and forth as they perform one last tune for us to officially close the ceremony. Maori Nan seems a bit emotional, and even appears to be a bit teary-eyed. (Click the image to see the video.)



The whole evening has been awesome and we mingle with the performers afterwards to tell them so and get some snaps with them. Of course, everyone seems to love Maori Nan - including me and Jay! She puts an arm around each of us as we gather together for a photo. After, she gives us each a hug and a kiss and smiles as she says she'll see us in the morning - like I said, very grandmotherly!




The Stray family all gathered together. 

After the performers leave, each of the Strays grabs a mattress, blankets and pillows from the corner of the room and chooses a sleeping spot for the night. Some of the Strays set their mattresses up inside the marae along the walls, while some of us choose to sleep outside in one of several big white tents, or out on the front deck.


Sleepover! 

Since it's a fairly warm night, Jay and I hit the deck along with chief Nate and a few other Strays, including Sam from England, who just hopped on the bus the other day. Sam sets up next to Jay and I and we all have a fine chat and get to know each other better while we make our beds. The land around kind of reminds me of my nan's place in Red Head Cove - it's so green and quiet and feels a million miles away from anywhere. Some of the Strays turn in early while the others gather in the dining area to have a few drinks and listen to Philip the German sing and play the guitar. Jay and I, after our caving adventure today, are spent, so we choose the former. We hop onto our mattresses and throw blankets over ourselves as the notes of Philip's guitar in the background lulls us to sleep. I feel like a little kid at a sleepover! This has been one of the best nights ever, I decide, as I fall asleep under the stars.


Sunday, February 12

Early the next morning I fling the blankets off my head and awake to the sounds of ABBA's "Mama Mia." At first, I think the music is coming from one of the tents, but I smile as I realize it's coming from the kitchen ("Uncle Boy must have been inspired by the Swedish girls yesterday!" I think to myself). After Jay and I haul ourselves out of bed - or, off our mattresses, I should say - we put our things away and head to the kitchen to have some cereal and toast with everyone. Before we head back onto the bus, Uncle Boy whips out his camera. It's sort of a tradition to get a snap of every group that comes by, and he's not about to let us get away without one. We all gather together along the front deck and smile as Uncle Boy smiles back at us like a proud dad. He tells us we've been one of the best, most spirited groups to visit the marae. (Maybe he says this to everyone, but there's a sincerity about him that makes me think he's telling the truth.) Everyone strolls up to him to say goodbye before hopping back onto the bus. Jay and I shake his hand and thank him for such an awesome experience. Truly, the time we spent at the marae will likely go down as one of my favourite moments in New Zealand. Again, that corny word "magical" rolls around my brain - but there's really no better way to describe the experience we just had.

Next, we head onto Rotorua - probably one of the most unique places I've ever had the pleasure of visiting. You smell Rotorua long before you see it. Rotorua stinks (quite literally!) like rotten eggs due to the sulphur from all the geothermic activity in the area. As we roll into the town, we stick our faces up to the window and stare agape at all the mud pools everywhere, bubbling up like miniature volcanoes - one of the most freakin' amazing things I've ever seen! Once we reach the local BASE hostel, Miss P pulls up to the curb and lets us loose for a few hours so we can explore. Jay, Christa, Heather and I (being the big kids that we are), head for the local playground where we climb onto some metal contraption that looks like a huge web.



We then make our way around the park, gawking at all the incredible, smelly sights around us. Amazing, awesome, supercalafraga something or other - I could throw these words around all day, but it just doesn't do this place justice.


Follow your nose! Or not...



We head further down the street, closer to the water, and continue gawking at all the bubbling mud pools sprinkled around the maraes and people's homes. Apparently, people used to have their own private mud pools on their property, but this isn't really permitted anymore (as far as I know). Some of the steaming pools have little fences around them, to keep people away from the boiling water. Still, I can't help but lean in for a closer look.


Where's Linda? A sauna in the street! 


Nope, the town's not on fire - just steaming hot pools everywhere! 


This guys looks a wee bit hungry! 

When we can manage to tear ourselves away, we head further uptown, past a big field where dozens and dozens of people appear to be doing aerobics on the grass (looks like a pretty active community!) before ducking into a cafe for a snack. You'll never go hungry in New Zealand as there seem to be cafes sprinkled around everywhere, no matter the size of the community (though Rotorua seems to be a fairly large town).

After heading back towards the bus and laying in the grass in the sun for a bit, everyone piles back on and we head towards our next destination, Taupo. Before we leave town, though, we pull over to one hostel where a few Strays hop off - Craig the Englishman, a couple of the American girls and, sadly, Canadian Nate. (That's one thing that sucks about being on the bus. You meet so many awesome people and make so many friends, but you know eventually, you'll have to say goodbye.) Before he steps off the bus, Nate stands at the front and snaps a few pics of us. He gives us a wave and a smile and joins the others on the sidewalk where they stand and wave as they watch us roll away. "Canadaaaaa....tsk, Awwwww..." says Miss P as we drive away. I think it's safe to say we all feel the same way.

Before we leave town, we stop at another hostel and pick up a new passenger - another Linda, from the Netherlands (turns out she knows English Sam as they were both on the Stray bus together previously). We stop at one last massive, bubbling mud pool just on the outskirts of town. The other mud pools we've seen so far pale in comparison to this monster. (Click the image below to see the video).



Before we hit Taupo proper, Miss P pulls over by a big dam so that we can snap a few more pictures and to drop the skydivers off. The insects (like crickets) in the trees are chirping like crazy, so much so that we mistake the noise for the buzz of electrical wires. But when we look around, there are no such wires to be seen.


Dam...that's a lot of water!

Irish Brian, the Swedish girls and Christa are a few of the brave Stray souls who have signed up to take a giant leap of faith. Miss P is going to jump (again) as well, after she brings the rest of us to our destination. (I considered signing up as well, but Mr. Jay told me that if I waited, he would consider doing a skydive with me later on - there, it's on my blog now, so it's official Jay! ; ) I don't mind too much, as I've skydived before; but I would love to do it again Down Under.) The guys are jumping with Skydive Taupo, who actually picks up their jumpers in a limousine - go big or go home, right? Before we drive away, Christa gives Heather a big hug (you know, just in case!).

When we hit our hostel, everyone piles out and makes a mad dash for the bar to sign up for a room. Heather nabs one for the four of us. Once we've gotten our gear stacked away, Jay and I join Heather on a grocery run.


Havin' a time on the way to the grocery store! 

Tomorrow, we're taking on the mighty Tongariro Crossing, so we need to make sure we have enough fuel. We load up on fruit and sandwich fixings before heading back to the hostel.

As I jump out of the shower, Christa returns, giddy and happy as all hell (skydiving does that to ya). "I jumped out of an f'en plane," she says over and over again. We go to the bar for some chile con carne as she tells us all about her adventure.

Later in the evening, Jay and I head out for a walk to explore the area. Since it's Sunday, things are fairly quiet - but back at the hostel, it's a bit more lively. Jay hits the shower and I shoot the breeze with Irish Brian at the bar. At some point during the conversation I look up, only to see our ol' pal Canadian Nate stroll through the front door! He comes through the bar, handing out hugs along the way. "What are you doing here?!" I ask, as he leans down and gives me a big squeeze. Turns out, he wasn't happy with how we all parted ways, so he hitchhiked from Rotorua to Taupo (roughly 81 km) just to say a proper goodbye. "I thought we were going to have lunch!" he says, talking about hopping off the bus earlier that day. We all shared such a special evening together at Uncle Boy's place, he continues, that it didn't feel right hopping off the bus without getting everyone's email addresses and contact info. to keep in touch. Needless to say, we're just as happy to see Nate as he is to see us.

When Jay gets out of the shower, we grab some drinks and a table outside to chat with everyone. (At the bar, a guy with a guitar has just plugged into an amp and is turning out cover tunes, so it's a wee bit loud.) Irish Brian is at our table, so we tell him a bit about Newfoundland while he tells us about his home, including Ted Fest - an annual event where everybody dresses up as their favourite characters from Father Ted, heads to a nearby island and drinks all weekend. (Gotta love the Irish and their wacky traditions!) A little later, we head back inside and Anita the German walks by and tells us that Whitney Houston just died. Wow - I really wasn't expecting that! You know how people always say, "I remember where I was when so and so happened..."? Well, I'll definitely remember exactly where I was when I heard this news. Eventually, Nate makes his way around, saying goodbye to everyone yet again. He comes over and gives me a lingering hug. We promise to keep in touch and when I jokingly ask him if we'll see him again tomorrow, he assures me that he's gone for good this time. He heads back out through the door, throwing a final glance as he steps out onto the street and walks away towards his hostel down the road. It seems I've been chatting with Brian and the others for a while because before we know it, the bar is closing up and people are scattering.I join my "roommates" and head for my bunk underneath Jay's. Again, it feels a bit like a sleepover, which is awesome when you're (as I said before) big kids like us. : ) After reading the graffiti left by previous travellers scrawled along the bottom of Jay's bunk (much like I'd read an Archie comic before bed), I close my eyes and wait for sleep to come. It's gonna be a long day tomorrow, so I need as much of it as I can get. It's hard to believe that this time last night, we were sleeping under the stars outside Uncle Boy's marae. We've seen and done so much - and yet there's so much more to come. And I can't wait.