Bangs Discovers Kaitiakitanga

Adventurer Richard Bangs came to New Zealand to explore the guardianship concept of ‘Kaitiakitanga’.

He found it amidst the giant kauri trees of Waipoua Forest. He found it watching whales off the coast of Kaikoura. He found it heli-hiking in the Southern Alps. And he found it eating parāoa rewena (Māori Bread) in a Wellington café.

Adventurer and environmentalist Richard Bangs is sharing his journeys through New Zealand with his new book and DVD, 'The Quest for Kaitiakitanga’.

The Māori concept of Kaitiakitanga sees humans as guardians of the world, assisting the Gods and ancestral spirits to preserve and protect the physical environment, which includes cultural elements such as art and language. Kaitiakitanga is a holistic philosophy that aims to deliver the planet to future generations with its ‘mana’ intact.

"For me the temptation has been unsuccessfully resisted many times to return to New Zealand…there is something ineluctable about its natural beauty, something ever-alluring about its deep culture; and something enigmatic about how it seems more pristine with each visit.

On my most recent journey across the enchantment that is New Zealand I passed through a magic glass that offered a partial explanation…an ancient Maori concept known as Kaitiakitanga, a notion that promotes guardianship of the earth as a key responsibility, a belief that we need to steward towards a better future not just for our children, but for all things, and for all time. This concept imbues much of New Zealand, transcending politics, landscapes, cultures, even eras to exist as a contemporary national ethos, and a proud explanation of why the country seems to get better with every look, and why it is becoming a model for the world.

It is a land of heroes, myths, of rich story-telling and grand adventures, and of inspiration, and it is a place to which I vow to return again and again if just to be awed and renewed by its wonders, and to know more of the secret map that may lead the way to a bright and sustainable future for the whole of the world."

Experience New Zealand and Kaitiakitanga as Richard Bangs did, with travel wholesaler Mountain Travel Sobek’s Adventure with a purpose itinerary (based upon Richard’s trip within New Zealand) or alternatively plan your own eco-vacation using the travel planner tool (view related links below).

A little planning is required to visit Kapiti Island, but the scenery and bird encounters make it all worthwhile.
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If, like Richard Bangs, you want to interact with New Zealand’s landscapes in a more sustainable way, be assured that you won’t be sacrificing one iota of excitement. There are many tourism operators throughout the country who have found the perfect balance between eco-friendliness and fun.

In Rotorua, you can sledge white water rivers armed with a purpose-built sledge, padded wetsuit and helmet - in one sledger’s words, "Wow, wow and wow!". Further north, the spiritual environment of the Waipoua Forest provides a natural stage for an unforgettable guided encounter with some of the largest trees in the world. And off the Kapiti Coast is a bird sanctuary island where you can wake to the most melodious dawn chorus you’ve ever heard.

The South Island’s most memorable land adventures are about using your outdoor skills to interact with the geography. Ice climbing on the Franz Josef Glacier and horse riding in the foothills of the Kaikoura Ranges are two examples of how you can experience the landscape without compromising its amazing beauty.

Sea (Moana)

New Zealand is a seafaring nation - that’s how our Polynesian and European ancestors got here - and over the years we’ve moved towards laws and policies that protect our marine environment. In the 1800s, Kaikoura was the centre of a huge whaling industry; today it’s a place to watch whales, particularly the pod of sperm whales that lives in the area. Fur seal colonies in Wellington and around the South Island’s coast have been expanding rapidly since the species was given protection in 1894 - they’re always a delight to visit.

There are more than 25 marine parks and reserves around New Zealand, set aside for snorkelling, diving and kayaking. But even in the most urban environments it’s possible to launch an ocean expedition - on the doorstep of our capital city you can hire a kayak to explore Wellington Harbour.

	The northern tip of the North Island has great spiritual significance for Maori people
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To the Māori people, air is viewed as a tāonga (treasure) derived from Ranginui, the sky father. Compared to most of the world, New Zealand has exceptionally clean air and there are many ways to enjoy it.

Scenic flights use our air clarity to deliver extraordinary views. A flight over Cape Reinga, at the tip of the North Island, will reveal ‘the place of the leaping’. Legend says that the spirits of the departed leap from an 800-year-old pohutukawa tree to begin the voyage back to the ancestral homeland of Hawaiki.

In the Southern Alps, air travel combines with action to give you ‘heli-hiking’. Depending on your level of mountain experience, you can fly into the Mount Aspiring National Park to explore the realm of Tāwhirimātea (Maori God of the Elements). Ascend mountains, walk on glaciers, cross spectacular alpine passes and let your spirit soar.

Culture (Tikanga)

Just as the Kaitiakitanga philosophy guards the resources of our land, sea and sky, it also aims to preserve unique aspects of our culture. Family-run enterprises provide the chance to discover the spirituality, beliefs and language of Maori. Artists invite visitors into their studios to watch traditional carving in progress. Innovative chefs are bringing traditional foods back to life on modern menus.

Kaitiakitanga says that we do not own the earth to use as we wish. It says we should understand that all life, including us, is supported by Papatuānuku (Mother Earth) in a very interdependent way, that we too must do play our part in supporting Papatuānuku.

To experience the uplifting concept of Kaitiakitanga, start planning your New Zealand vacation now.