We have seen several episodes of “Richard Bang’s Adventures with Purpose on PBS. Last night they aired an episode from 2007 about New Zealand. His programs generally focus on a specific aspect of a place, and this particular episode explores the Maori concept of Kaitiakitanga. Loosely translated, it can be understood as stewardship of the natural world. During the course of the episode, Richard visits the town of Kaikoura on the South Island. He goes on a bush walk with Maurice and Kim from Maori Tours Kaikoura. We were lucky enough to take the same cultural tour with Maurice when we visited the South Island in 2003. We had an excellent time on the tour, which culminated with tea and snacks in the home of Maurice and his wife Heather. We got to observe firsthand how important family ties are in Maori culture. Maurice and his niece Jasmine taught us Maori words, crafts, and explained the cosmology of the Maori. They took us on a bush walk where they pointed out sacred and medicinal plants and trees. Maurice softly played his guitar and sang as we walked through the forest. It was so serene and peaceful, and we felt so close to nature. Connecting with local people is always a highlight during our travels, so this cultural tour was perfect for us.
Steph and Maurice
We were thrilled to see Maurice interviewed on TV. (A written transcript of the program can be found here. It was not the first time we had seen his smiling face on the television. We saw him on the Travel Channel program Trip of a Lifetime in 2007, and immediately got in touch with them to tell them. We will do the same this time! And when we were in Kaikoura, we told them that we had seen the town on Michael Palin’s Full Circle series. Heather told us that Maurice was there for the filming, and lo and behold, we watched the DVD when we got back home and saw him in the Takahanga Marae segment. Maurice is becoming a regular TV star!
Craig and Jasmine
We wish Maurice and Heather and the rest of their family continued success with their cultural tours. They are doing a wonderful job teaching people about Maori history and values.
Maurice (left)
Here is some nice video footage put together by a traveler on one of their tours
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