Whangārei

The first thing to know about Whangārei is that it is pronounced “FHAH-NGAH-RAY”, beginning with an “f” sound. That makes it a lot easier to find on the maps and road signs. 

The “ng” is like in “sign”, sort of nasal. The same goes for Ngawha Springs, which would be “NGAH-FHAH” Springs, which I hope we can visit later this week. I’m sure it isn’t very close to how a native would pronunce the words, but the best I can do. 

Keith speaks Māori because he was taught it in school, unlike the bad old days when any Māori language or culture was forbidden. Some of the older (my age) whites insist on using only the English names, but younger people are comfortable in either language.

Our mission was to see the Hundertwasser Art Center, a building designed by post-war modernist artist/architect/ecologist Friedensriech Hundertwasser. We parked next to the town marina and viewed the Rolling Ball Clock, where balls roll around, congregating in a group to mark seconds that drop to move the minute ones that create hour grouping. If we had been there at noon, we would have seen balls rushing all over the place. There is a similar but more verticale one in Fort Lauderdale. Much clanging and banging.


The first floor gallery of the art center is dedicated to contemporary Māori art, which I didn’t understand, just like I don’t understand any other contemporary art. Upstairs was a gallery of Hundertwasser art and architectural models, including a rug he’d tied himself and others he had commissioned. We’d watched a 20 minute movie about his apartment complex in Vienna, but it didn’t show anything about his toilets in nearby Kavakava.

We climbed up the stairs on the other side of the building to the rooftop garden of native plants and were in time to see the Te Maria A Pohe single-span bridge do its noontime raise.

It only opens twice a day for boats to move to or from the ocean and the inner harbor. Certainly more convenient for traffic than the single-span bridge at Andrews Avenue over the New River that opens on demand except at rush hour.


Hundertwasser made arrangements for his body to be buried on his NZ property. The picture of him was titled 1923-2000. The one of the tree was titled 2000-2008, which I think should have been 2000-Infinity.

After lattes for Betsy and me and a lime cheong drink for Grant at the Aqua Cafe, we perused the center’s gift shop. I bought 2 skeins of variegated yarn to knit Hundertwasser-ish socks and a black tee that says “You are a guest of nature. Behave.” Betsy bought a cat origami kit to make with her granddaughter.

Next up, lamb wraps at the Turkish restaurant and shopping at 2 local op shops. No aroha (aloha in Māori) shirts for Kyle but a black NZ ball cap, $2.


We’d hoped to see the camera obscura but ran out of steam. Driving home, we bought a punnet (100 grams) of Paroa Bay oysters for stew.

Steps Today: 4,389


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