The two most disturbing movies that I have ever seen were set in New Zealand. Once Were Warriors is a difficult story of a Maori family trying to stay together in a modern era, and Heavenly Creatures is a disturbing true-crime story starring a young Kate Winslet.
Babe and What We Do In the Shadows are not disturbing, and they are original.
But the point is this: When it came to New Zealand, I wanted something different from what I already knew. No quirky or disturbing books or movies! I also wanted motivation to put miles on my treadmill. I decided to sign up for The Conqueror Virtual Challenge. It’s a metaphorical walk on the Alps to Ocean trail, which is a cycling route on New Zealand’s South Island running from the Southern Alps to the Pacific Ocean.
It was fun. As I did the challenge, I checked the map to see where I was and then looked up information about the places. I saw restaurants, historic sites, and gorgeous scenery. I got a sense of part of world that I had never seen, both its varied beauty and its sheep!
New Zealand has a small (5 million people), diverse (European, Asian, Indigenous Maori, and other Pacific Islander), and educated population. In part because it is so remote—about a thousand miles away from its nearest neighbor, Australia—it has developed a distinct culture. The haka, a Maori dance tradition, has become a national symbol at sporting events and is performed by New Zealanders of all ethnicities.
And, of course, some of that distinct culture plays out in the very weird movies made in New Zealand.
Anyway, I’m learning a lot and keeping up my virtual exploration. Or at least trying to. I’m a little behind in my blog posting, though.
