A Visit to New Zealand
Nation That Gave Women the Vote Long Before America and Britain Did
Aug 30, 2008
Among images evoked at the mention of New Zealand are those of the country's world-beating rugby football team, the All Blacks, performing their ferocious war dance called the Haka before an international game. Feminists pleased with the nomination of Sarah Palin as female candidate for vice president of the US may recall that New Zealand, in 1893, was the first nation in the British Empire to give women the vote – some 25 years before Britain and the USA did. Even today women play a big role in public life here, with the current Prime Minister (Helen Clark) and Chief Justice (Dame Sian Elias) both being female.
But a closer look at this land which the native Maoris call Aotearoa - the Land of the Long White Cloud – reveals it as a land of breathtaking natural beauty. This land must surely have some of the most beautiful unspoilt scenery in the world! Made up of two large islands in the southeast Pacific, about 3 hours flight west of Australia, New Zealand has a population of just four million - with the sheep outnumbering the people!
The South Island. This is sparsely populated and boasts some spectacular mountain scenery rivalling that of the Himalayas and the European Alps. One can drive for miles here without seeing a human being – just natural and beautiful forests, lakes, fjords and mountains. Dunedin at the southern tip is reminiscent of Scottish cities like Edinburgh – while Queenstown in the centre of the South Island is one of those places that lends itself to appearing on innumerable picture postcards with its picturesque lake and backdrop of mountain scenery.
Auckland which most visitors visit first is New Zealand’s largest city and home to a quarter of the country’s population. Facing the Hauraki Gulf on the northwest coast of the North Island, it is often called The City of Sails because of the numerous sailing boats berthed in the harbour. Near enough to Auckland for a pleasant day trip are the volcanic hot springs and magnificent geyser Pohutu in the town of Rotorua - or the farms and wineries of the Kumeu Valley to the east, where one can spend a pleasant afternoon having lunch (with a glass or two of local wine) at one of the many winery restaurants.
A longer trip out of Auckland is to drive north via Whangarei with its pretty waterfall and along the coastal road which passes some awesome views of the Pacific, towards the town of Paihia, one of the earliest European settlements, and Waitangi, site of the original treaty between the British settlers and the native Maori. A highlight of Waitangi is a well presented sound and light show at the historic Treaty House, depicting the history of New Zealand from the time the first Polynesian settlers arrived here around 800 AD from the northern Pacific Islands, through the years of European settlement and warfare, to the multicultural nation it is today.
From Paihia one can drive across the North Island, to the spectacular rain forests on the west coast. It is humbling to walk along the forest paths and come across these magnificent ancient Kauri trees – the fathers of the forest – that have been in existence for over a thousand years.
New Zealand is known as a land famous for producing milk, wool, butter and meat – as well as superb sportsmen and women who punch above the island's weight. It is less well known for its fabulous tourist sites and sights.
It is a beautiful land just waiting to welcome visitors!
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