Valentine, George Dobson, 1852-1890. Sophia Hinerangi on the Terraces at Rotomahana - Photograph taken by George Dobson Valentine. Kirk, Thomas William, 1856-1936: Photograph album. Ref: PA1-q-138-021. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand.
THE ORIGINS OF GUIDING: Before the 1886 eruption of Mount Tarawera, the Pink and White Terraces were Rotorua's major tourist attraction, considered to be the eight wonder of the world. Intrepid nineteenth century tourists would travel far and wide to see the terraces and bathe in the pools they created. Getting there was no easy feat and would involve a steamer to Tauranga from Auckland, a bridle track to Rotorua and then coach to Lake Tarawera. From there they would take a boat across Lake Tarawera, a walk over the isthmus pass to Lake Rotomahana, and then a journey by canoe to the terraces. It was the start of European Tourism to New Zealand, when passage would take several months by ship. A settlement was created at Te Wairoa with accommodation for these visitors and a cultural tourism industry was formed by local Māori who entertained the guests and became the first New Zealand tourism guides.
When visiting the terraces, a guide was essential. The best known guides of the day were Sophia Hinerangi (Guide Sophia) and Keita Rangitūkia Middlemass (Guide Kate), both of whom spoke fluent English. They were selected by the local hapū, Tūhourangi and were popular. They used their extensive local knowledge and charm to entertain and captivate their audiences. As payment for services, they received 15 shillings for escorting each tour party.
However, their fame was short lived; in 1886 the Pink and White Terraces and the Tarawera region were catastrophically devastated when Mount Tarawera erupted. More than 150 people died in that event. Surely, that should have been the death knell for the fledgling tourism industry, but as one door closed another opened. After the eruption, tourists and immigrants alike were still willing to travel to New Zealand to experience not only the geothermal activity but also the unique Māori culture only found in New Zealand. The Whakarewarewa Thermal Village became one of the most frequented attractions in Rotorua due to its distinctive Māori village and the famous Pohutu Geyser.
THE GUIDES OF WHAKAREWAREWA: Displaced by the Tarawera eruption, the two hapū of Ngāti Wāhio and Tūhourangi settled alongside each other at Whakarewarewa. Almost immediately, they began to control the tourist traffic through the area. Traditionally, women acted as guides. The women were more appealing to tourists, and their natural flair and aptitude for the work reinforced their monopoly. Guiding was also compatible with the traditional puhi and kaitiaki role of Māori women. The older guides, particularly those with moko, attracted the most customers; the younger guides learnt from accompanying the older women. All the families were related, and the tradition was handed down from generation to generation.
A toll house was erected near the entrance to the village. Tourists were charged two shillings and a sixpence, with one shilling going to the guide. Guides would meet their tour parties at the foot of the Pūārenga Stream and piggy-back those who wished for 6d, then walk them through the area. Guide Sophia Hinerangi, who had survived the Tarawera eruption, continued her work with tourists at Whakarewarewa. She was exempt from the system and had no fixed fee. Because of her fame, she was never short of customers and continued guiding until her retirement in 1890.
The early tourist industry was unregulated and women could arrange work to suit themselves. Some were accused of rushing their tour parties through in an effort to pick up another fee, and squabbles over tour groups were common. It was felt by some that such behaviour and the unscrupulous entrepreneurial practices of certain guides bordered on extortion, so the government was prompted to take action. Increasingly, land which had previously been owned by local Māori passed into government ownership. By the turn of the century most of the sightseeing areas, apart from the village of Whakarewarewa itself, were under government control. The change in ownership also precipitated changes in guiding practices.
In 1908 the guides were first issued with a licence and a black armband (later replaced by a numbered pin). Then in 1910, the Department of Tourist and Health Resorts began to license Māori guides and operate Whakarewarewa as a government reserve. Guides had to be eighteen years old, pay an annual license fee, speak good English, produce character references and provide a photograph of themselves upon application. The guides were subjected to a rigorous selection process, followed by a two-year probationary period. During the trial, they were periodically assessed by the Tourist Department and the senior guides. After the Te Arawa Trust Board was established in the late 1920s, a board member tested the guides on Māori general knowledge.
Some of Whakarewarewa’s most famous guides have their stories documented on the information panels that stand in front of you. If I were to write individual accounts of their exploits, this description would be pages long. Please take time to read these texts. Their collective story is a fascinating recount about Māori women and their early involvement in the tourism industry. These remarkable ladies conducted many Royal visitors, dignitaries, and government officials through the Whakarewarewa Valley – a job that still exists today.
The history of tourism in New Zealand has always featured Whakarewarewa and the guiding legacy that has been carried through the generations. Our guides developed a superb ability to impart the wonders of Whakarewarewa to visitors. They were known for their knowledge, charm, and easy and open approach to all, regardless of their position or rank in life. This generosity of spirit was coupled with a sternness that would ‘rise to the occasion’ to warn a visitor if by chance they might be in danger from Whakarewarewa’s geothermal waters and mud pools. Ensuring the safety of visitors has always been paramount.
To claim this virtual cache, please do the following tasks:
1. On one of the information panels, there is a photograph entitled: Local village children performing a haka on the bridge. Count the number of children (in the foreground). Please note: The children in the foreground are in two lines...
2. On the information panel closest to the bridge (separate from the guiding panels), there is a word that appears to have been added that is different in size to the rest of the text. Convert each of the seven letters to their numeric value (A=1, B=2, C=3, etc). Once you have converted each letter to its numeric value, add them together. You will end up with a two-digit number...
3. There is a small acknowledgement plaque next to the end guiding panel: Kindly Supported by... Whom? Just the first word of this organisation is sufficient.
4. Email your responses to the following address: (Answer 1)(Answer 2)(Answer 3)@gmail.com Subject: Your caching handle or the name of this cache will do.
5. Please include a photo of yourself or a personal item at the site. This is an optional task that serves as proof of your visit. I will also check the email folder to see if you have signed in. If there is no evidence of your visit, you will be contacted by me via email, and your log may be deleted.
Note: Your answer will be in lower case and have no spaces. For example, if my answers were 12 34 Whakarewarewa - then you would send an email to: 1234whakarewarewa@gmail.com
If your answers are correct, you should get a reply almost immediately. Check your spam folder first if a response doesn't arrive.
Coincidentally, there appears to be a small discrepency around the birth year of one of the guides. Which one? You might want to do a quick Google Search using your answers to locate this small piece of information. Mention which guide in the body of your email.
Virtual Rewards 2.0 - 2019/2020
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between June 4, 2019 and June 4, 2020. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 2.0 on the Geocaching Blog.