Understanding the Many Meanings of the Fantail
The pīwakawaka is sometimes considered an omen of death, but in Māori tradition, that’s just one part of its story, Roxanne Hoorn writes for travel site, Atlas Obscura. The bird is a much more complex…
Tag Archives: Atlas Obscura
Trapped in Museums for Centuries, Maori Ancestors Are Coming Home
Writing for Atlas Obscura, Ye Charlotte Ming has taken an in-depth look at the ongoing process of repatriation of Maori remains from international museums, quoting poet and musician Hinemoana Baker, researcher Amber Aranui and…
Vanishing Act of New Zealand’s Toheroa
People talk about toheroa like they’re a dream, because these days, they are, Naomi Arnold writes for travel site, Atlas Obscura. The big, delicious surf clams were once plentiful on New Zealand shorelines, before…
Stop and Wander Tokoroa’s Talking Poles
“Tokoroa uses public art to encourage tourists travelling between Hamilton and Taupo to stop and wander around,” online magazine and travel site Atlas Obscura writes about the North Island town of 14,000. “Wooden sculptures [Talking…
Symonds Street Cemetery Oasis of Wonder
Auckland’s Symonds Street Cemetery is another New Zealand landmark included on travel site, Atlas Obscura. Atlas Obscura writes: “One of Auckland’s oldest cemeteries was partially demolished during the construction of a major highway in the…
Auckland’s Browns Island a Green Haven
“In the middle of busy, urban Auckland harbour, there’s a little spot of green,” travel site Atlas Obscura writes. “It’s a peaceful place, one without tourist boats and very few structures at all. You…
Candyman’s Quiet Quest to Collect Banana Varieties
In Alega, American Samoa some delicious banana varieties are getting harder to find. A New Zealander, known only as Candyman, collects the fruit. Acquiring a new one can be as simple as trading with…
Wellington’s Paddy the Wanderer Forever Loved
Wellington’s waterfront memorial to the “well-loved, well-travelled wharf dog” Paddy the Wanderer is included in online travel guide, Atlas Obscura. “Paddy the Wanderer was an Airedale Terrier who roamed the streets of Wellington,…
Speaking Te Reo Maori All Year Round
The real question is whether the enthusiasm around the annual Maori Language Week (Te Wiki o Te Reo Maori) can spill into the rest of the year. “Te Reo Maori Week should be an…
Quest to Rediscover Lost Pink and White Terraces
Roughly the size of a city block and up to eight stories high, the Pink and White Terraces were one of the top tourist attractions in New Zealand during the 19th century, Atlas Obscura…
You Never Saw a Dolphin That Looked so Cute
During the summer of 1955-56, the Northland township of Opononi attracted thousands of visitors from across the country. They came because they wanted to catch a glimpse of a visitor who’d appeared on the…
Rere Rockslide
Rere Rockslide, “just outside the city of Gisborne in New Zealand is an amazing water ride that is not connected to any kind of theme park. It is purely a result of the natural…
Maungawhau and Memories of an Elephant
“At 196m high, the cone of this long-dormant volcano is the highest natural point in the Auckland region,” travel site Atlas Obscura reports. “But that’s not only claim to fame – the stone observation…
Innovative Oddities Abound at Gibbs Farm
Truly one of New Zealand’s best-kept secret gems, according to travel site Atlas Obscura, is the gigantic sculpture garden known as Gibbs Farm. In 1991, New Zealand-born entrepreneur and art collector Alan Gibbs purchased a…
How to Tell a New Zealander from an Australian
“To New Zealanders and Australians, the differences between the two countries’ cultures, accents, and national characters are glaringly obvious,” according to Ella Morton, a correspondent for online travel guide Atlas Obscura.” “To the rest of…
Real Life Castaway Tom Neale Never Lonely
“The phrase “sole survivor” evokes scenes of violent disaster — a plane crash; an explosion in a mine; the eruption of a volcano whose lava destroys a city and all its inhabitants but one,”…
