Submitted by Samantha Bornhardt on the 2018 winter session program in New Zealand sponsored by the Department of Communication…
As my third week comes to a close, I reflect back on the most challenging, yet memorable portion of my progam so far. Our class traveled to Whanganui, a small town in the middle of the North Island of New Zealand. It houses the country’s biggest and most intriguing river, the Whanganui River. By looking at our itinerary, we could see that on this portion of the program we would be doing a “river excursion”. However, the most interesting part about this planned event was that we were given very minimal details, except for the fact that it was an overnight Maori led tour down the river.
After piling into a van and lathering on loads of suntan lotion, we took about a 25 minute scenic tour through the mountains, to a small Maori property where our tour guide’s grandmother lived. The house was small and lined with beautiful Maori sculptures, with the massive river flowing in her backyard. Our class waddled down to the bank where we were greeted by the rest of our guide’s family who would also be accompanying us on our excursion. As we walked further towards the water, we saw six canoes lying out on display. A smile widened on my face as I grew excited to get out on the water and to start the adventure.
While we made our way down the river, Ash and the other captains of each canoe retold stories of the Maori and the importance of the Whanganui River specifically to their tribe. Ash began the day explaining how just recently, the New Zealand government has recognized the Whanganui River and granted it human rights, meaning it has the same rights New Zealanders have and then some (for example the river can damage property without being sued). This is very important to the Maori culture because it recognized the river as having a certain influence over the human race, whether it be the amount of water it provides, the food, the energy or its beauty. He began our trip with a simple phrase to have us ponder its meaning as we set out on our peaceful journey: “don’t speak about the river, speak to the river.”
For the first hour, adrenaline pushed me and our canoe raced down the river. However, as the sun grew stronger, my adrenaline simmered off and I became physically exhausted. Although my boat jokingly complained about our aching arms, we still tried to paddle on. However, the more we complained, the slower we began to move. Eventually, we realized that the current had changed and we were paddling against the river. The river was teaching us a lesson.
By hour three, Ash saw this lack of motivation and the slow moving fleet and tied all of the boats together. He explained that instead of fighting the river, we need to appreciate the river, just as we should not fight with our parents, but be grateful for all they have given us. He called on us to close our eyes and absorb our surroundings. What do we feel? What do we hear? What do we smell? What do we taste? By doing this, it would heighten our senses past our sense of sight, which is important in appreciating a specific moment. He explained that the sense of sight is the most selfish of the five senses, and cause many, although they may have their eyes open, to skim over certain beauties such as the river and its importance to the circle of life. And then, as he continued to speak and I relaxed with ease, absorbing the beautiful river we were floating on, the current changed and we began to float forward again.
The river trip was mentally challenging, but at the same time, eye-opening. It taught me how to push myself to certain limits that I didn’t even know I could reach, as well as gratitude for the things life has given me. By the end of the six hour canoe ride, we beached at a bank that opened up into a beautiful Maori community. As I sat there, staring out at the river, I thought about what Ash had asked us early. What he meant when he said “don’t speak about the river, talk to the river” was to appreciate everything it has given us, and treat it as if it were human. This act of thinking humbles us, and allows us to acknowledge the fact that we are just as equal as the plants, animals, trees, rivers and mountains around us.
