Waimate observations

We have been saying this prayer at church each week, and I really enjoy it. New Zealand has two official languages: English and Maori. They are often both presented in church and news broadcasts (Maori first).

Benedicite Aotearoa

Posted on September 25, 2010 by Bosco Peters • 9 Comments

O give thanks to our God who is good:
whose love endures forever.
You sun and moon, you stars of the southern sky:
give to our God your thanks and praise.
Sunrise and sunset, night and day:
give to our God your thanks and praise.
All mountains and valleys, grassland and scree,
glacier, avalanche, mist and snow:
give to our God your thanks and praise.
You kauri and pine, rata and kowhai, mosses and ferns:
give to our God your thanks and praise.
Dolphins and kahawai, sealion and crab,
coral, anemone, pipi and shrimp:
give to our God your thanks and praise.
Rabbits and cattle, moths and dogs
kiwi and sparrow and tui and hawk:
give to our God your thanks and praise.
You Maori and Pakeha, women and men,
all who inhabit the long white cloud:
give to our God your thanks and praise.
All you saints and martyrs of the South Pacific:
give to our God your thanks and praise.

A New Zealand Prayer Book/He Karakia Mihinare o Aotearoa page 457

Notes:
Maori ~ people of our land
Pakeha ~ non-Maori person
rata & kowhai ~ flowering trees
kahawai ~ fish
pipi ~ shellfish
tui ~ bird

When we first arrive in Waimate, as usual we were concerned and a little taken aback by the deserted main street and empty storefronts. We had to remind ourselves that it was the weekend (thus the lack of activity), but the storefronts was a bad sign.

Turns out Waimate--although the main street (Queen Street) is anemic--is a very vibrant community. I hope NZ main streets make a comeback the way they have in the US.

Flour mill with Hunters Hills (foothills of the Southern Alps) in the background

Waimate High School

The pool building, which additional views of the Hunters Hills

Ruben and our tiny Fisher & Paykel fridge

Croquet field. The ladies I met there say they have an active club

One of the many local tracks I walk on with my friend Jill

Yup, it's rural. This is about 3 blocks o outside of town.

It is very common to see a box (this happens to be an unplugged refrigerator; perfect for keeping out critters) at the end of a farm drive offering eggs for sale, honor system.

Everything is in bloom!

Waimate also has a bowling club. A match was gathering when I walked by today.

Wallabies were brought into the Hunters Hills for sport hunting. Now they are a nuisance and  penned up in a wildlife refuge on the edge of town when caught.

Like a lot of towns, Waimate has an aviary. This peacock was really showing off.
He could rattle his feathers in a threatening way when the female (one of two in this cage) got too close to the food bowl.