A Trip to Australia and New Zealand
Rotorua
Christian missionaries have worked in New Zealand since the early part of the nineteenth century. Today a few Maori belong to a diverse collection of Christian faiths including Anglican, Mormon, Presbyterian, and Catholic. In addition, there are two home grown Christian churches - Ringatu and Ratana. The 1991 New Zealand census lists Christian Maori as composing 1.7% of the total population. While in Rotorua we visited a Maori church co-located with a traditional meeting house.
The remains of a huge ancient war canoe is preserved at the water's edge. It is said that a canoe of these dimensions, full of warriors, was seen on this lake just before Mount Tarawera erupted in 1886. Local legend believes that the reappearance of this ghost canoe will portend a similar volcanic eruption one day in the future.
