🌳 Kauri Trees

After a few days of rest in Auckland, we picked up a car (and also a bedroom😮‍💨) and headed north. Our goal was to see the legendary kauri trees, some of the largest and oldest trees in the world. These ancient giants once covered huge parts of New Zealand, but heavy logging in the past reduced their numbers drastically. Today, they are protected.

The highlight of the day was seeing Tāne Mahuta, the largest living kauri tree. It is around 2,500 years old, stands 51 meters tall, and has a trunk almost 14 meters in circumference. The Māori name means “Lord of the Forest,” and for the Māori people, this tree is sacred. According to legend, Tāne Mahuta was the god who separated the earth and sky, allowing life to flourish.

A Māori woman at the site shared stories about the spiritual importance of kauri and sang a traditional waiata (song).

Kauri wood has long been used for waka (canoes) and carved meeting houses, but today, efforts focus on protecting the remaining trees rather than using them. Seeing one of these giants in person, it’s easy to understand why.Leggi altro