Te Mata Peak and Club Rugby

On Saturday (12/5) I was adopted by Bridget’s host family – The Sowmans. Bridget is another OVS student in my program who is teaching at Hastings Girls High. She called me early Saturday morning and asked if I would like to climb Te Mata Peak with her and Bronwyn (her host mom).

Here is the story of Te Mata Peak…

Many centuries ago the people living in pa (fortified villages) on the Heretaunga Plains were under constant threat of war from the coastal tribes of Waimarama. At a gathering in Pakipaki (near Hastings), a wise old woman (kuia) suggested that the leader of the Waimarama tribes, a giant named Te Mata, could be made to fall in love with Hinerakau - the daughter of a Pakipaki chief - and turn his thoughts from war to peace. This mission was quickly accomplished, and Te Mata fell under the spell of the beautifully Hinerakau.

However the people of Heretaunga had not forgotten the past and wanted revenge. They demanded that Hinerakau make Te Mata prove his devotion by accomplishing seemingly impossible tasks. His last task was to bite through the hills between the coast and the plains, so that people could come and go with greater ease.

Te Mata died while eating his way through the hills. His half-accomplished work can be seen in what is known as The Gap or Pari Karangaranga (echoing cliffs) and his prostrate body forms Te Mata Peak.

Source: http://www.newzealand.com/int/article/te-mata-peak/

View from the first "break" we took from hiking.

Te Mata Peak is the western boundary of the Heretaunga Plains and stands nearly 400 meters above sea level. From the summit you can enjoy views of the coast through all of Hawke’s Bay and beyond to the mountain ranges that split the North Island into two parts. Bronwyn was not feeling “full force” so we drove halfway up before parking to hike the rest. What lay before us was steep incline of mud, rocks, fallen trees, weeds, etc. on a tiny footpath. I was told that from our starting point it would take about an hour to reach the summit. It took more than an hour – but I like to say that was because I continued to stop and take pictures of the beautiful views (not because of how out of shape we were).

 In the middle of casual conversation Bridget suddenly interjects “I hope you purchased the Health Insurance.” Bronwyn proceeded to explain that she was climbing Te Mata with a couple of friends and shortly after claiming that “as a child she always wanted to break a bone” – she slipped on some mud, broke her foot, and had to be airlifted off of the peak. Thank you OVS for supplying the great deal on Medical Insurance in case of that unfortunate event. But luckily I made it to the top of the peak and was able to enjoy the breathtaking view.

View from the Peak looking inland towards the mountain ranges
the split the North Island.

View from the Peak looking towards the coast - you can see
Napier and Hastings.

After our leisurely hike back down we returned to the Sowman’s for BLT sandwiches and strawberry banana smoothies. The sun was FINALLY shining so we were able to sit on the back porch and talk. Bronwyn teaches Year 1 students (6 year olds) and has invited me to her classroom for a day while I am in Hawke’s Bay. It would be really neat to see a classroom similar to what I will be teaching at Klondike Elementary in the fall.

Just one of the MANY sheep you see all over Te Mata -
and ALL OVER New Zealand for that matter.

Bronwyn’s daughter, Hannah, and husband, Grant, arrived home and we all traveled to the Hastings Rugby and Sport Club to watch Hannah’s partner Reese play. For my first in-person rugby experience I was just as confused as when I watch my students play Rugby during T3 and School Sport. But it was insane to be so close to the mass chaos of a rugby game. I kept getting confused when this “football game with no pads” had no “downs”.

After the game we were enjoying a drink in the clubhouse when the Hastings Boys Rugby team arrived for speeches after cleaning up. Bridget was quite entertained by their theme of the evening – all wearing Hawaiian shirts with their Club ties. The team won back the rivalry trophy – which was a beautiful Maori carving – and Bridget took the trophy as an opportunity to snag a picture of the crazy shirts. A slew of tough, buff rugby boys in Hawaiian shirts is quite a site.

The Sowmans invited me over for evening tea (dinner) and MasterChef New Zealand.