Hidden Surprises

Today while taking a bus journey to visit a woman my husband used to work with I spotted a landmark that I have heard about in my growing up due to its significance in our country's history. We decided we would stop and visit it to have a look on our return journey.

It was threatening rain but we decided to risk getting wet and walk up to the monument on the top of the point. It is quite famous here in NZ as it is on a site where big protests were held in the 1970's in an attempt to keep this headland from being developed as it is important to the Maori who are indigenous to our country. Seeing all of the housing development either side of this large area it as satisfying to see the protesters won.

I have seen plenty of photos from afar with a large obelisk standing tall. We wandered up the hill to get a closer look and to our surprise and delight found a whole sunken garden in a very Romanesque style. Not at all what I was expecting to find on a piece of land saved for its importance to Maori. Then we discovered why. It is a monument put there by Maori honouring one of our past Prime Ministers - a very Pakeha/European man who was instrumental in keeping this headland as a reserve to honour its importance to Maori and therefore to all New Zealanders. The protests in the 1970's were when a more recent government was considering overthrowing its reserve status to allow development of the land. 

This place felt very special and for me as a Pakeha I felt it represented the respect that can be seen between two cultures - one I am glad to see being preserved for future generations. I'm so glad we took the time to stop and risk the rain as we would never have got to see this treasure tucked away out of view. And the rain shower that cam through didn't last long!