The Eighth Wonder of the World
| |
| Tourists, White Terraces, Lake Rotomahana, early 1880s |
|
 |
|
The eruption of Mount Tarawera drew dramatic attention to New Zealand's volcanoes, but they had been drawing international travellers since the 1840s.
The 'jewel in the crown' for the New Zealand tourism industry of the day was the spectacular cascade of silica deposits on the flanks of Mount Tarawera, known as the Pink and White Terraces. Lauded as ‘the eighth wonder of the world’, the terraces were tragically buried by the 1886 Tarawera eruption. But they have left a lasting legacy.
Local Maori, particularly the women of the Tuhourangi tribe, were much sought after as guides to the terraces, led by the eloquent Sophia Hinerangi (Guide Sophia). Instead of a geology lesson, Sophia and other guides escorting early tourists gave lively accounts of Maori history, their ancestors, and local legends associated with the mountains.
After the Tarawera eruption, many survivors resettled at Whakarewarewa Thermal Reserve in Rotorua, and Sophia re-established the guiding tradition that began on the terraces. Walking around today, the spiritual dimension the guides bring to a visit to the geothermal area is as vital as the physical spectacle.
One of the tales they pass on is the legend of the phantom waka, the mysterious ghost canoe recognised as a portent of doom. It appeared at the foot of the Pink and White Terraces 10 days before the tragic eruption.
|
| The White Terraces, Tarawera, Oil Painting by Charles Blomfield |
|
|
|
|
