Days 5-6: Christchurch!

Update:

We had one full day at Kaikoura while still staying at the Marae. After breakfast, a man came to talk t us about the archaeological history of the Maori. He brought some old tools used for carving and fighting, as well as Moa bones. Moas were basically ostrich-sized Kiwis who were hunted to extinction by Maori tribes. Since they were eaten and the bones discarded in swamps, their remains were preserved until today. I got to hold a toe bone, and it was about the size of my palm! 

The rest of the day was a free day for us. We used this opportunity to explore some tide pools nearby. It was a fun time; we probably climbed all along the shore for about two hours. I saw a couple starfish, an octopus, a crab, some massive sea slugs, and some live Paua! After our beach adventures, a smaller group of us walked to downtown Kaikoura. It is a small oceanside town, similar to Picton, but maybe a touch smaller. It was mostly full of coffee shops and boutiques, which made it a great place to pick up some souvenirs! New Zealand is famous for its green stone, which are similar to jade. Most of it is sourced from the west coast of the South Island, and it has a special meaning in Maori culture. I was lucky enough to get a greenstone necklace and ring!

After stopping for lunch (and ice cream), we headed back to the Marae to work on some assignments for our classes. We had a wonderful dinner that Emily and Allie, two of our students, prepared: butter and garlic steamed mussels, fresh caught fish, ratatouille, and pavlova!

The next morning, we left Kaikoura and traveled to the city of Christchurch. The bus wound through the mountains and eventually led us to an overlook called Sign of the Takahe. A takahe is yet another indigenous flightless bird of New Zealand. We got some great shots of the city from a distance! Once we arrived, we stopped at our hostel then underwent a walking tour. Ian led us through parks, the Bridge of Remembrance, a circus, and much more. We also saw the Cardboard Cathedral, which was built of cardboard and wood to more sustainably replace the destroyed Cathedral Square. 

After walking for a bit, we stopped for more souvenir shopping and ate dinner at a burger cart. We watched the sunset, and one of our group played basketball with the locals while we cheered him on and climbed around the park. The city of Christchurch is astoundingly photogenic and clean, and I wish we could spend more time here!

Christchurch Cathedral

We saw Cathedral Square, which is the central part of Christchurch. In 2011, the city experienced a devastating 6.2 magnitude earthquake that killed 185 people. Most of the damage was centered in this cathedral, which has been left as a monument to those who were killed. There is some debate as to what should be done with the Christchurch cathedral; should it remain in its damaged state, should it be torn down and rebuilt entirely, or should it be restored to how it was before the earthquake?

In my personal opinion, the cathedral should be rebuilt to how it was before the earthquake. Restoring it to its former glory respectfully honors those who died in that church, and putting a plaque on the outside or inside further remembers the dead. There is already a monument to them, rows and rows of painted white chairs that uniquely represent each individual that died. The combination of the white chair installment and a restored cathedral pays homage to each victim.