Around The World Without Flying: The Bay of Islands Part 2

When I look back at our short walk into an ancient rainforest, I realise just how privileged we were to see the ‘Lord of the Forest’, a very famous 2000 year-old kauri tree, and to meet a Maori guide who is dedicated to preserving this and the few other remaining kauri trees in New Zealand.

Just think, this beautiful, awe-inspiring tree that towered above us started to grow around the time of Christ! This was a time when there were no humans in this ‘land of the long white cloud’, the meaning of the original name given to New Zealand by the Maoris when they arrived about 1000 years later. They pronounce the name of these majestic trees as ‘co - dee’.

Humans, unfortunately, have been the greatest enemy of the kauri tree. It beggars belief that the New Zealand government divided the land into parcels for farming and only left two per cent of the rainforest! Two per cent! Even worse, the Western Australian government did the same with their great kauri forests, only they allowed them to be totally decimated. What is more, I am told by two of my friends on this ship who hail from WA, their government insisted the farmers make no profit out of the trees and forced them to just raze and burn the trees! Because it is so slow-growing, kauri timber is beautiful, hard timber without the usual ‘knots’. So many beautiful wood carvings and so much wonderful, long-lasting furniture could have at least been made from it. What a waste and what a destructive approach. This is another instance in which governments of those days were made up of, I am sorry to say, short-sighted, ignorant fools! And little has improved. Today, according to satellite evidence, Queensland is clearing its rainforests and other forests at a rate that at least equals that of Brazil! Even our Victorian government has permitted the logging of much of our wonderful old growth forest areas, which are home to the pygmy possum. Some magnificent Tasmanian forests also have been destroyed by logging. And politicians wonder why they are not highly respected! I will start respecting them when, and only when, they stop bowing and scraping to vested interests and instead recognise and perform the role they should play - as informed, intelligent custodians of our land.

Anyhow, Bill (or Wiremu) gathered us all together and sang a Maori song to the tree. He then told us the amazing story of the birth of the tree. Each tree produces both male and female kinds of woody growths. The males are more elongated, and grow above the female ones, which look like small walnuts. When they are ready, the outer ‘skin’ of the females opens up and the males drop their ‘seeds’ into the females for the next 48 hours, after which they drop to the ground and die. The females then close up and grow on the tree until they are about the size of a tennis ball, whereupon they burst open and send tiny seeds out into the air. Apparently the sound of this is like hearing a powerful hailstorm. Bill showed us samples of the male and female parts and the seeds that are eventually dispersed onto the ground.

Bill then held a moment of silence for us to reflect on all of this and on people we care about, and used the story of the kauri seeds as a metaphor for life - from small beginnings to wonderful outcomes. As he sang again in the silent forest, he encouraged us to act as custodians of our precious forests. It was a very poetic, moving experience.

We left the forest on the boardwalk in silence too, again cleaning and sterilising our shoes as we had when we entered, to help protect the forests from disease.

If you would like to know more about this experience, visit www.footprintswaipoua.co.nz. Bill told us that he also conducts night excursions into the forest to see an even bigger kauri tree, and the nocturnal animals and birds that scurry around in the night. He kindly gave me permission to include his photo in this story. I do hope you will experience this walk in the rainforest yourselves and find it as moving as I did.