Sign on the "Possum Tree"
Te Papa is a great big museum. Amalia and I spent a few hours on one floor alone. It was actually really impressive. I have commented before to Amalia and to others on this trip how cool it is that New Zealand has embraced the culture of the native people. The Maori language is written with English side by side in the whole museum. It's actually an official language of New Zealand, which is awesome. It made me wonder how it might be if the United States had a second language of Cherokee or Navajo or something. Anyway, unlike most places that have been overtaken by white settlers, New Zealand has really learned to coexist with the native people. The museum showed that in a really informative and fun way.
Also, Te Papa is the only place in the world you can see a giant squid. At least, it's the only museum that has one. There's this super freaky 3-D video that you can watch, which shows giant squids (animated giant squids) catching fish and eating them.
The top picture is attached to a giant fake tree that houses various possums. I don't know why I don't have a picture of the tree, I swear that I took one... but the sign was cute.
Primates = Our Mates. Forever and ever.
I know you LOVE museums, and this looks like a great one... :) How clever of them to get the possum's perspective on the suitability of New Zealand as a natural habitat for raising happy children!
ReplyDeleteI think there's a giant squid in the smithsonian, so I believe those kiwis have their lions (or dingos, or whatever) crossed. I agree, however, that primates are our mates. That one they got 100% right.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a cool museum. Glad you're embracing the culture there. I hope to see you be able to dance like a Maori with the scary tongue and everything by the time you come home :).
ReplyDeleteLike Gregan said, there is a giant squid at the Smithsonian, but it's dead. Maybe yours in NZ is alive or something, which would be much higher on the "cool" scale. I am almost convinced to come to NZ to see stuff. Keep talkin...
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