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New Zealand

New Zealand has always been somewhere that I have wanted to visit because my friend lives her as well as all the things that I have heard about it. From the first day of being in the country and exploring I felt a different vibe than I did in Australia, I did not feel like I was an oddball out. The people were all nice for the most part, even though there are some racists and the south island is absolutely beautiful with all its mountains and masses of water. All the streams of water are so clear that you can see everything at the bottom other than the lakes, but even still it was completely clean. The air felts so fresh and clean to breathe in and out, made me feel like I was in a whole new world. There is so much green land here it is unbelievable, driving through the south island we stopped so many times to take in the scenery. I felt like I was in a real life post card because it did not even look real, I could not believe that I was actually in these places. I am excited about what the rest of New Zealand has to offer and experience within the new week we have here, going up to the northern island.

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Camping # 2

This camping trip was quite different from the first one because this time we were by a beach and the surrounding area was completely different. We stayed in this spot the whole weekend and felt very dragged because there was not exactly a plan, it was more of a free for all camping trip. In my opinion this trip should have been cut short for all the events that was occurring due to the storm and other outside factors, I felt like I did not get a good insight on the nature that was around either. The only thing that was enjoyable this whole trip was listening to the stories from Uncle Lewis because he had so much insight and information about his country. He discussed aboriginal people, their culture and taught some dance moves but I felt as though he was holding back from giving us more insight. I enjoyed the view of this camp sight seeing the sunset on the beach is always a great view but other than that the rain made it less enjoyable along with other factors. I love the rain and hearing it hitting against the tents, but this time it was so much that it made this whole trip less enjoyable considering we did not go anywhere else other than stayed in the same area.

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Protester Falls & Creek Walk

This had to be my favorite trip throughout the semester thus far because it was an easy walk as well as having a great views of a scared waterfall. The walk through the rainforest was a silent walk where I had a chance to get in tuned with my senses again, hearing louder, seeing more, touching different things and just overall gaining a whole new experience. There was one point in our hike that we got to a point where the females had to separate from the males because they could not come up to the scared woman’s waterfall. At first when we were told to go up and the males said they are staying I was confused because I wasn't sure what was occurring until it clicked in my head that this was a woman only area. In the rainforest, this waterfall was a woman’s birthing grounds and was valued in the culture. When I reached the top by the waterfalls it was so breathtaking, the force in which the water was falling and the view was unbelievable. While I stayed there for about 15 minutes all I could do was listen to the sound of the water slamming into the pool at the bottom, watch as the water trickled down the rocks and crisp breeze blew in my face. It made me think that I was this powerful being because I was a woman and was capable of creating life, that this was where children were born so the air was filled with power and life. I felt like I was invincible and that myself, along with all woman held so much power in the world, we were untouchable, valued and scared beings. I felt so grounded being by the waterfall, like I had this ultimate purpose in life, that I knew exactly who I was and what I needed to do or wanted to do in life. There was a great distinction between both sexes because often times water is used as a symbol for women whereas men are symbolized by the land. Just like males, females can dominate or be superior on certain grounds or private places. Sadly, this information about scared woman grounds are not always known by people and if it is, it is not always guaranteed that they abide by those rules. Some men can ignore the rules and go up to the falls for the view or because they are equally the same as a female or even that they are more superior so they have the right to go. With places like these it creates a tough situation because there is no written rules/signs saying that this gender is not allowed to go up to the falls but there is a spoken rule. The white man is used to being able to go anywhere that he pleases and there is a representation of anyone other than whites. Indigenous people are not viewed as cultural or seen in a positive light because spaces in which it is carried out. In the reading by Plumwood he addresses ecosystems, nature, culture and spirit. There is an idea that culture is rationality for males, nature and being is feminine. There is a dual aspect of having males and females, it is a positive vibe for the females and males do not feel that. Segregation to the males of not being able to go to the birthing grounds. In western philosophy it is meant to be conquered, for women to be an intertwined belonging. Mythologies and cultures have women being so connected to nature, sexual nature or nature, the biology. Mother nature and the reinforcing of it to the concept and not thinking about it in a reproductive way. In the third reading, humans should separate themselves from nature. It was a contradiction on a whole because we connect certain things to different sexes and label it. Men tend to feel their privileges are threatened by scared women grounds. In another reading, it is said that the gun is replaced by a penis and sex is the bullet for women, the dominance of power. The bullet is the sperm pregnancy by rape but yet as a violent thing, killing the future and what it means. We rely on the written word other than the oral word, if its biased then you cannot really tell the difference on the truth. In Hill’s reading aboriginals are viewed in a positive light because ‘tradition of love, law, relationships’ are fairly romantic instead of contradicting.

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Great Dividing Range Camping Trip

This was the first time I have ever been camping in my life and I must say it was not exactly what I expected. It was not as bad as I thought it was going to be for the fact that it went by pretty smoothly. My encounters with nature and the place that I was in made it quite an experience. It gave me a better insight in how much of an impact that the outside world has on nature and how different you feel by being in this type of environment. To begin, I think I did a decent job building a tent considering I have only built one once ever when I was younger in my backyard and learning how to make a proper fire was so much fun; considering I am a pyromaniac on the inside. Trying to cook on the fire was quite difficult since it took such a long time and had to keep making sure that the fire was going at a decent rate or did not die down. All of the activities that we did were quite intense, I am not a hiker at all and all of the hikes that we went on I felt like I was going to pass out. My body was not ready to be pushed all that I did, caused me to cramp up completely in my legs and suffered so much aches and pains. I am still proud of myself for making it through the hikes and all the trips that we went on during this camping trip because it helped me connect it to the readings. The reading by Aya Hayashi discussed the connection between wilderness and the Japanese, saying that Japanese have a western viewpoint of nature which is similar to those of America. In the Japanese culture nature is not the priority, it is usually pushed to the side or brushed under the rug, but the only time it is valued is when they can benefit from it. In the western society, it is not unusual that there is a one sided view of nature in the sense of if it benefits the country and that is not a good view. Nature holds so many amazing attributes that are not cherished enough because without it we would not have half of the things that we do today or know as much as we do. Without nature we would not be breathing the air that we are, we would not have some medications that we do or food, nature is the life that is surrounding us and we are a part of its cycle. In another reading it touched on the relationship between land and aboriginal people, which made me connect that to being a part of nature on this camping trip. The aboriginal people took care of their country because that is all they had and without it, they had nothing. Their country is their spiritual connection, emotional support, mental and physical connection that guides them to survive. The land is a part of the aboriginal people and they are a part of the land which makes them tightly connected into one being. While camping we had to take care of the land because that is where we were living for the past couple of nights and had to survive. If we did not take care of it, then it would not be in a livable condition or useful to us to survive. This relationship with the land that aboriginal people have made me realize that there is a great admiration for the land they live on, that I should have a similar love for it because it protected me while I was there; it provided for me. The understanding that is needed to grasp this understanding is hard for someone who has not been in this situation or surrounding, the relationship to the land is quite strong and cannot be broken.

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Nature & Capitalism: The Anthropocene ~ Brunswick Heads Beach Walk

Todays walk was a simple stroll through Bruns Beach, it was an amazing view on the beach and all that it had to offer. Despite having people around, it was still enjoyable and I took in a great deal of observations. It made a connection with man and land in the sense that we are connected to the land that we walk on, to the place that we are at the moment and it cannot be separated unless we are not a part of the land anymore by being taken out somehow like dying; but even still you are part of that land. This walk in silence allowed me to take in my senses more than I would have if I was not quiet, it gave more of a purpose to what I was actually observing. I observed how the water was so nicely blue and that the rocks were placed in a way that you normally do not see. It was built like a wall kind of where you can stand, sit and watch the ocean as you walk, usually the rocks at a beach is on the coastline where the sand and water touch but this was different. The rocks was from the land to the water connecting everything together and it was so beautiful as I watched the people soak in the sun and enjoy the beach. Joseph Stromberg discusses the idea of Anthropocene, he says that it is the idea that the damage that has been done to nature is worse than it is good due to humans. We are causing pollution in various forms to the earth that we live on by making animals and plants go extinct, polluting the air and ocean, burning fossil fuels and many more. By doing this we are shifting the pollution from the rich to the poor in the sense that the big companies and rich are polluting the earth so much that those without money can only suffer the consequences of those who created the problem (Stromberg, 2013). Environmental racism is often times created, exposing pollution to communities and denial of access to sources of ecological benefit such as clean air, water and other natural resources. By placing the poor, lower income or sometimes even minority communities in areas where they are vulnerable and in an environmental hazardous or degraded environment. Whether it be by waste, pollution, toxins, and urban decay, the rich are destroying the earth and the poorer people have to suffer through this challenges. Though we have made impacts in the world and on nature, we are still slowly destroying it day by day. We as humans need to take more action in protecting the earth that we live on and if we do not then we would end up destroying it to death. Sarah E. Boslaugh believes that humans are the most important factor and significance in the world, they have superiority over nature. The connection that humans have with nature is that they benefit and redefine what resources are. For instance, we chop millions of trees for various reasons that benefit our lifestyles or lives meanwhile it takes away from nature, the homes of animals, the oxygen that we breathe and all the other factors for needing it. Though nature does not always benefit us like natural disasters as hurricanes, tornadoes, etc. It destroys humans and all that we have to the point we need to start over, taking lives and wiping out areas that then has to be restored. The connection of humans and nature is that both can dominate and be superior of the other, there is not really a medium between the two.

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Civilization & Wilderness : Cape Byron Lighthouse

This week we met Delta, an aboriginal woman who told us more about the land where the lighthouse stands. She gave us some background on the history of the aboriginal people, explaining all the various elements of dealing with the shift from aboriginal country to white Australia. Being a person that was not white during this time was very difficult because you were constantly judged or forced to assimilate. Aboriginal people are the first Australia’s or in other worlds the ‘forgotten people’ who tried to hold onto their culture after the white settlers came to their country. The lighthouse was considered a scared ground for most aboriginal people because it was where they gathered to hear stories and connect with one another by the beach. Their country is how they identify themselves, their artwork expresses an image that can convey various points and symbolizes various ideas. Learning about how non aboriginal people and aboriginal people are not considered equal is quite saddening because no person is better than the next regardless of what they look like or where they come from. I know the feeling of being considered to be different in a society, growing up I was the only ‘black’ student in school and it was hard having to deal with that. Being forced to assimilate into the ‘white’ culture that everyone was a part of and being judged or treated differently because I spoke with an accident or ate different food or even looked different; its not a nice feeling. Hearing about the struggles that aboriginal people struggled through touched a part of my heart that I can similarly enough relate to. Knowing that now in the present time, that aboriginal people are still fighting hard for their rights to be treated as equals shows that they are strong and would never give up for their rights as individuals, its rights that they deserve. By being held in this perspective of being this ‘negative’ group of individuals for so long and to now be gaining the rights that they always deserved is something that is unbelievable and hard to grasp for many. As we continued to walk down the beach and listen to all the stories about the land and the surrounding area of the lighthouse gave so much insight. Some of the stories that she told, expressed how some aboriginal people were not even considered to be human because they did not look like the white settlers or speak the same languages and believed in something completely different from everyone else. When in reality aboriginal people are just as everyone else, despite believing in different cultures and holding different values, they were still Australians; the first Australians. Their fight for equal rights and their culture are something that I hope they never stop fighting for, the day will come where they would have it all and be considered equal.

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Waitabu Village, Taveuni ~ Vanua: Land & People

First and foremost this past week was the most life changing, eventful week I have ever experienced in a long time.

Let me start off by saying that the ferry ride to Taveuni was the longest ride I have ever been on in my life. I felt like I was traveling forever, not to mention I did not even really sleep. I just kept waking up looking around at everyone else around me sound asleep and looked out the window at the waves crashing around causing the boat to rock. Felt like I was on some never ending boat ride but the water was so beautiful. Once we arrived the car ride to the village wasn't so bad, getting to see the little town of shops and all the beautiful green life around; despite the rain and cloudy weather. You can see how much climate change has been affecting their island because there were parts of the road that the water was basically right on the edge and under trees. When we arrived at the village there was a welcome ceremony and everyone in the village was so humble and loving. All the children were running around trying to play with us and giving high fives or asking our names. After eating we were introduced to our host families and moved into our new homes for the week. To finish off the night the villagers had a Kava ceremony where everyone introduced themselves then had a great time listening to the band and of course drinking Kava. By the end of the night I was so tired that I finally crashed and got a somewhat decent sleep though it was short lived because I woke up.

The next day was such a scary day for me because I had an allergic reaction to one of my favorite foods to eat, “roro” which is similar to spinach. My throat started to swell and close up causing me to not be able to breathe properly and it was such a terrifying experience. It hurt so much to swallow and to maintain my breathing, thank goodness my sister was there and was able to give me an allergy medication to help me. I was disappointed that I was not able to go snorkeling though but my sister and friend stayed with me the whole time to make sure I was alright. A bunch of people in the village came to check on me and make sure I was feeling better or to help assist with anything that I needed, as well as spend some time with me while I recovered. I felt so loved like I was a part of the village by the concern and care that was shown by everyone, especially the next day. Everyone heard what had happened to me and just wanted to make sure I was feeling better as well as constantly made sure that I was good; it was greatly appreciated.

Lavena Costal Walk & Boat Trip

Despite the fact that I was soaking wet the whole time because it was raining since we started our coastal walk, there was an abundance of events that occurred. The beginning of the walk was against the shoreline where I saw washed up corals, colorful seashells, these flowers the only bloom at night, rocks, tree branches and leaves. As I walked along the shoreline I looked out at the horizon and all I could see was miles of blue water and waves crashing loudly against the shore. We started to hike up these narrow hilly trails where I saw these lava rocks that looks so cool because you normally wouldn't see that on a beach.We came up to a raging river that we had to cross in order to see one of the waterfalls, I was afraid to even cross because I am short and the water looked pretty deep, not to mention I cannot swim. I am a mermaid out of water that cannot swim, I found out I can float though. (: Anyway, as I started to cross this raging river I slipped on a rock and the current was super strong which made it worse while trying to hold onto the rope. I was falling into the water and saw my life flash before my eyes, I was about to slam into a huge rock head first. Thank goodness one of the guys grabbed me before that could happen so I just ended up falling onto my butt in the river. First thing I did after I got up was run back to the land and handed him my bag because I thought my phones got soaked along with a few other important things in my bag, but luckily it did not. When I continued to try crossing this river again the current was so powerful that I could barely hold onto the rope and kept slipping on the rocks, by the end there was a huge drop and I felt like I was about get pulled away by the current. If it wasn't for the guys helping pull everyone across to land I probably would of been gone with the current all the way to a whole new destination and banged up on rocks. On the trail there were these little leaves that when you touched them, they got scared and closed up which was the coolest thing I have ever seen. Who would of known a plant can do something like that then they are touched, I know I didn’t. There were tons of plants and life around the trails, a fresh water eel was in a little stream along the path and I was also lucky to see an orange bird that is only in Taveuni. The bird was so bright and gorgeous as it sit so peacefully on the tree branch until it flew away. Once we arrived at the waterfall it was so beautiful, at first I didn't want to get inside since I cannot swim but I ended up putting on a life vest and getting in with help from everyone. The current of the water was extremely powerful that it felt like it did not want us to even get in to explore all that it had to offer. I tried to swim and I was surprised that I was actually moving a little though it was not much. It was a struggle trying to get close enough to the area where you could stand on rocks that by the time we got there everyone decided to go back after awhile since the current was that strong. Along with my friend not being able to breathe properly so I was worried about him, considering that was a similar feeling i experienced the day before. It was so strong that it made it difficult for everyone to swim and truly get to enjoy the waterfall. Once we all walked back we had lunch and took a boat to another waterfall, must I say that I was terrified to be in such a small boat with all the waves making the boat tilt. I felt like I was physically going to fall over into the water because it was tilting so much into the water, my whole sleeve of my jacket was wet since I kept holding onto the boat with all my might so I would not fall off. This waterfall was calmer compared to the first one we went to, only issue was that the tide raised causing the water in the waterfall to rise. I remember looking at this rock that I was standing on completely dry being covered by water in less than 20 minutes, it was pretty intense. As we left the boat ride was scary again since it was a higher tide and we were going into the waves, but the water was so warm and felt wonderful. This trip overall was quite an experience that I am happy to have made it through safely despite the minor incidents that occurred.

Tavoro Walk

Our walk in Tavoro was a calm simple easy walk to a lovely waterfall. As we walked in silence I was able to get in tune with my senses as I did in the rainforest the week prior. I saw and heard the parrots in the trees singing, saw something called a floating island in the stream. I learned that no matter how much the water rises the floating island does not get covered with water, instead it always stays above the water. Looking out seeing the mountains touching the sky and being surrounded by all these colorful plants/ trees/ flowers. The working of moss climbing its ways up the roots and stumps of trees creating such an amazing aesthetic, hearing the sound of the water crashing into the pool of the waterfall and smelling that crisp scent of earth. We found out that there was a way to get to the second waterfall without having to cross another raging river. As we started our silent journey to the second waterfall we stopped at a rest stop that overlooked the whole area of Tavoro. It was spectacular looking out and seeing the ocean shoreline meeting with the trees in the forest/park and connecting to the mountains. The sky so blue and filled with clouds, it was definitely a sight to see considering the walk to that point was steep steps that were extremely tiring. Inclines have to be my biggest downfall when it comes to physical activities like hiking or walking, I really need to pace myself more and learn that I do not have to rush myself or push myself harder than I am. As we sit and discussed everything that we saw and how we felt it made me reflect on life. That though it is challenging with all of its obstacles it can be overcome with a little hard work and silence. Considering that the whole time in Fiji that was one of the main thing that we learned, how silence speaks so much volumes that we do not always realize. When it was time to continue walking to the waterfall I did not want to go because I could not physically make it anymore for another 30 minutes going up steep incline stairs, but I decided to try and see how much I can take. Surprisingly, I made it all the way to the second waterfall which had a raging stream of water falling and crashing down into the pool. There were tons of rocks that were super slippery, so I decided to just stay on this big one and watch everyone else have a wonderful time in the water. After awhile I took a head start on the way back down to the first waterfall since I know that I wanted to take my time. It was a smart decision because going down was just as hard as it was going up considering going down and not falling on the rocks that were slippery. By the end of the walk I truly enjoyed it and felt proud of myself once again for completing this trip along with pushing myself a little more.

Rainbow Reef

As we sailed on the boat to the Cabbage Patch reef the sight of the whole Taveuni was spectacular. Seeing it from a whole new lens with all the mountains, green life to the villages and various blue shades of water. When we arrived at the Cabbage Patch reef I was the last to get into the water because I have never been snorkeling this way before, out in the middle of the ocean with all the gear on; I was terrified as usual. Once I hoped into the water and finally put my face into the water it was breath taking literally. It was a whole new world except it was underwater, with all of its life. From seeing all kinds of coral, fish, plants and how it was all formed made me think how similar it is to life above water. Everything has a job to do or contributes something into their underwater life and ecosystem. I wish I could of taken pictures of all the amazing things that I saw underwater to always remember and reflect on what was seen, but I will be okay because it is a mental image that is illustrated in my head. In the Cabbage Patch reef, I saw trumpet fish, eels, clown fish, puffer fishes basically that was seen in the Finding Nemo movie which was amazing. Looking at the coral that was destroyed in the cyclone and how some of it was repaired, to the cabbage like coral that looked more like green bunches of roses. We took a mini break on a nearby beach where we learned more about the life on the rainbow reef and the various forms of life forms that we might encounter. I also learned that Fiji has more forms of coral and fish than the Caribbean does which was completely shocking to me. At the Rainbow Reef, I was more excited about getting into the water compared to the first time I go in. The water was so cool and refreshing from being in the heat on the boat. As I looked down into the ocean I saw more of the colorful life forms that lived there. There was coral that when you touched it changed from a bright pink color to a bright bluish purplish color and this huge brain coral that had various forms of life living on it that it was multicolored. It was great getting to swim in schools of different fishes and seeing how they ride a current along with glide through the water. I was lucky enough to see a sea snake that was really cool and one of those huge fish that was just swimming around looking for food. My favorite was thing about this whole trip was overcoming my fear of water and getting into the water with a life vest to get a chance to see this amazing ecosystem and life forms underwater. This trip was probably my favorite trip of the whole entire week because how many people can say that they went snorkeling in Fiji, I am sure not that many.

Connection to the readings

Reflecting back on the week and the readings that I had to do I found various connections and things that stood out to me. In the Hao-Li reading it talked about how Vanua is a home, a community, land, and people in the land. The physical, social and cultural dimensions of land and the life surrounding it. It is the language that is spoken and used by indigenous Fijians in various forms and contexts like historical, social, investigative and dynamic ways. Vanua allows people to love one another, be considerate, creates ways for them to share and help one another. It was not just the physical aspect of the land and its connection with people but more of the spiritual connection that it had between the land and its people. I realized that throughout my week here in Waitabu how true that this reading was in the sense of connections that people had with the land around them. Knowing that all of the men in the village uses the land as a form of income and prosperous way of survival in their everyday lives for those around them. Without the land there would not be a place or home for the people to live and plant crops, to survive. By being in this environment, seeing all the various forms of ecosystems that I was surrounded by and have encountered, it allowed me to see how special the land was to the villages. That it did not matter what they had, they were truly and genuinely happy because they had one another and the land as their home. As their mother that provides for all, it gave themas identity and fulfillment that words and materialistic things cannot. The land is something that is sacred to the people on it, they are dependent on it to survive. From seeing the grey space between the land and all that connects it to the shoreline connecting to the land of trees, it is all helping one another. Everything that I saw this week and all the trips that was taken made me think of everything as one large ecosystem working hand in hand to create this sacred land that mother nature has provided. With us as humans being a part of that ecosystem as well, helping and sharing all that we have to offer to build, grow, and make the land, our land flourish. In the reading by Nainoca, it discussed the influence that bula vakavanua has on the lifestyle of Fijians and focus on social capital along with ecological knowledge. What I took out of this reading was that urban Fijians are starting to distance themselves from the vanua because it is not benefiting them other than as a place to live, they want more out of the land that they live on. The desensitization of people from the world around us and the disconnect that most people are feeling with the land. It made me question myself on each of the trips about how I have become desensitized or disconnects from the land that I live on and everything that creates that land. How do you embrace the disorientation or at what age do you embrace it? Even at this age I do not know how to embrace the disorientation of me and the connection to the land. By the information and knowledge that has been accumulated over the years, the experiences that I have encountered and the situations that I have encountered. How do I embrace that disorientation of my position in the world? Me being someone that is Caribbean and fortunate enough to see various cultures and travel. Knowing that there are people who live in their mother land and have yet to explore their lands. Part of me embraces the confusion of everything around me and my ability to question all that I am curious about. Along with honoring the learning journey, the journey of living in the land and being present in the place or position in life that I am in.

Hao-Li, L. (2015). Vanua as Environment: Conservation, Farming and development in Waitabu, Fiji (pp. 23-33; extract). Unpublished Thesis, Doctor of Philosophy, University of Pittsburgh, USA. Nainoca, W. U. (2012). The influence of the Fijian way of life (bula vakavanua) on community-based marine conservation (CBMC) in Fiji, with a focus on social capital and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) (pp. 7-12; extract). Unpublished Thesis, Doctor of Philosophy, Massey University, New Zealand.