Backbencher

Lecture One was a great introduction to Australia and to New Zealand as far as the geography, people, and history go. Dr. Isern showed us maps in the “typical” colors for each of the country, and when he showed New Zealand in green, it reminded me of a saying that Kiwis have about themselves and their country: “Keen, Green and Clean” (in some order like that). We also got a really good history lesson on the Aborigines and the Maori from Australia and New Zealand respectively. The part of the lecture that I found most interesting was how Aborigines believe that their group started in Australia and did not come from anywhere else, where as Maori believe that they came over in their wakas (Maori word for canoes) from another Pacific Island. Both groups have such a diverse background and belief system that there seems to be more differences than similarities; which seems to go against the American view point that Australia and New Zealand are basically the same country. As we have already learned, Australia and New Zealand are very different countries, with very different groups of people who both happened to be colonized by the British. It was a very interesting lecture, and I have already grown in my knowledge of Australia and have been reaffirmed in some of the things I knew about New Zealand.