New Zealand, Nature & Culture

[Music] [Music] hmm hey [Music] [Applause] [Music] in the southern hemisphere to the southeast of australia new zealand is made up of two main islands the north island and the south island wellington is the capital auckland is the largest city new zealand has very contrasting landscapes the welcoming lands and verdant plains can suddenly give way to turbulent coastlines the coast stretches for over 15 000 kilometers between the volcanic sand beaches and the country's highest peaks the lush forest gives way to dramatic mountains on the south island the mountains reach impressive heights [Music] in the southern alps the highest peak is over three thousand seven hundred meters less mountainous than its neighbor the north island has a strong geothermal presence [Music] the vegetation has been largely untouched for thousands of years and some species are living fossils the wild forest which covered most of the territory long ago thrives in the extremely humid climate vegetation is not only abundant it's also unique in fact 80 percent of the species are endemic new zealand has been isolated for a long time but the wind has allowed lighter seeds to blow onto the islands insects and birds have also played a crucial role in the biodiversity of the country in an environment totally devoid of predators some birds have lost their ability to fly one of these birds has become a true national emblem the kiwi a bird which cannot fly in the middle ages the first people to come to the islands were polynesian it was here that they founded the maori culture and took possession of the territory in several successive waves it wasn't until the 17th century that the european colonists arrived the english officially proclaimed their sovereignty in 1840 they signed a treaty negotiated with the maori people the treaty which is still controversial is seen as the founding document of new zealand the country distanced itself from england by gaining independence in 1947 the maori people were a warrior force to be reckoned with their stance and face pulling aim to scare the enemy in different ways maori customs and culture spread over the centuries its war dances and chants are still practiced today and can be seen in the rugby player's famous hacker new zealand's population is a reflection of the country's openness to the outside world by the indian and pacific oceans but the descendants of european settlers make up the ethnic majority [Music] the abundance of water and boundless nature encourages outdoor activities it's also good for outdoor sports and notably water sports which kiwis excel at [Music] using a unique country as its base sport found a brilliant playing field among all the activities which are practiced in harmony with nature the english heritage is ever present in certain sports new zealand has reached a level of excellence for example rugby new zealand has fewer than four and a half million inhabitants it's a very urban population with 86 of new zealanders living in cities its housing reveals several influences from western culture but the country also knows how to adapt to a very particular environment and when buildings are destroyed by an earthquake they are temporarily replaced with containers [Music] western tradition has also filtered into religion fifty percent of new zealanders are christian [Applause] deforestation made room for agriculture which makes up over forty percent of the country's surface area thanks to soil improvement agricultural production is the main source of export revenue in new zealand certain specialities contribute to the reputation of the country overseas for example vineyards where acreage has tripled over the last 15 years [Music] the temperate climate is great for poultry production and particularly for sheep new zealand is one of the largest producers of wool in the world at least once a year the sheep must be sheared it's a vital operation thanks to the shearer's skill it only takes a few minutes to do on a compliant sheep also appreciated for their wool alpacas were brought in to increase new zealand's livestock diversification gives the country's breeders new opportunities several species have been adapted to meet the needs of the meat and leather industry some of them have to live on large planes the deer appreciate the space they have for the entire herd new zealand controls the fourth largest fishing area in the world a very dynamic sector for exports [Music] [Applause] [Music] the country benefits from a multitude of natural resources starting with the ocean the pacific allows for raw materials to be transported such as gas oil and coal this industry alone supplies a quarter of its gross domestic product a good chunk of economic activity relies on energy production new zealand plans to produce 90 green energy in the near future the country serves as a benchmark for renewable energy communication is vital in a country where only the coastlines are densely populated to avoid traffic jams or long inland detours the solution can be found by the sea the use of boats and ferries has become a daily necessity for many new zealanders [Music] airlinks are important to break up the country's isolation and to cross the sixteen hundred kilometers that separate the northern and southern part of the territory it's essential to have high quality communication between the antipodes and europe [Music] whether on land or water nature here is accessible and you can get right up close to it this is great for tourism which is constantly developing and has become one of the main economic sectors the countless sports of hand make the most of these spectacular surroundings leaving thrill-seekers fulfilled just like group activities the most original specialized sports are evolving [Music] here all sports can take on new challenges [Music] today bungee jumping has become one of those classic sports [Music] on the other side of the world new zealand has close ties with nature [Music] [Applause] [Music] the north island is smaller than its southern neighbour nevertheless it has more inhabitants since it makes up three quarters of the country's population it's here that the most populated city sprawls out auckland auckland is one of the most stretched out cities in the world and the water going right into the heart of the city opens up the landscape the country's population is very small that said a third of new zealanders live in auckland the country has experienced phenomenal growth in the 19th century the population multiplied almost tenfold [Music] auckland is the economic capital of the country it has a very broad influence and considerable appeal it's estimated that the city will soon reach 2 million inhabitants mainly due to immigration [Music] auckland has maintained multiple traces of its recent colonial past the old buildings allude to a small provincial town the city fares well in the list of nicest cities to live in auckland success is showcased by its modern architecture [Music] the sky tower reflects that loud and clear the tower is the symbol of an isolated country keeping track with modernity at the top a walkway allows daredevils to both admire the landscape and to test out the laws of balance do a few stretches stay calm and your memories will be spectacular the bravest choose to jump no not really nothing crazy like this this is pretty crazy i am in new zealand so why not try this yes in new zealand they like adrenaline-fueled experiences the sky jump here is 192 meters high so it's the biggest jump in new zealand uh we're pretty persuasive there are a couple of people that will back out but only maybe about one or two percent uh we can usually help people get off the edge the fall is controlled by a wire cable it's easy you just have to jump [Music] the hardest thing is smiling for the camera [Music] a few seconds later it becomes an unforgettable experience beautiful view i didn't even rush on the way down and just i got no words for it there are some more low-key ways to appreciate auckland but while savouring its tranquility you should bear in mind that the city actually rests on top of a volcanic plate [Music] a survey of 50 dormant volcanoes some of which are well preserved shows that there is not too much to worry about the last eruption happened 600 years ago [Music] auckland has a very mild climate owing to its proximity to the ocean the town is ideally located between two natural ports which open out onto the pacific the east and the west it's an exceptional situation which makes sailors happy and there are quite a few of them auckland is often called the city of sales boats are counted in their tens of thousands in fact this city has the most boats per capita of anywhere in the world that meant solutions had to be found to stow the boats away [Music] fishing is a very promising economic activity in new zealand the auckland fish market demonstrates the country's wealth of marine biodiversity with 150 fish species seafood products boost both exports and employment right in the city centre there's a ferry terminal it's ideally situated because it allows for quick frequent trips to the archipelago islands [Music] the way the city opens out onto the water eases communication and controls pollution [Music] a half hour ferry ride will get you to the island of waiheke which is 20 kilometers long it is centrally located in the gulf of haraki to the east of auckland [Music] the gentle ocean long sunny days and quality of the soil are all good for farming particularly for vineyards all the major grape varieties red white and even the most difficult ones have grown here it provides the very best conditions for cabernet sauvignon chardonnay or syrup this vineyard was planted at the turn of the 19th century new zealand still only represents one percent of the worldwide wine growing regions but its wine has an excellent reputation patrick newton manages the vineyard over the past 30 years the level or the quality level of the wines has increased dramatically and that's for a variety of reasons many of those come from the actual training of the young viticulturalists and winemakers and also these young people are going overseas and gaining international experience in the likes of france the united states and australia [Music] on the island of waiheke the climate is also good for olive trees [Music] vegetation grows in the direction of the sun by growing over the foliage you have to go over it to reach the top and surprise this is where you can learn to safely pass over nature and better admire it [Music] [Music] we're now leaving oakland heading to the north of the north island [Music] [Applause] [Music] after about 50 kilometers the landscape opens up even more it's dominated by farming activities but the hills hold some surprises in store a major collector has built up some outstanding artwork [Music] the huge murray way beach is surrounded by rocks northern gannets take to the air in a majestic flight [Music] the large seabirds form very dense colonies with northern granites there's no difference between the male and female the birds recognize their partner from the territory it occupies but that doesn't stop them from tearing each other's hair out [Music] [Music] in the forest vegetation reaches abnormal dimensions the ancient forest is intriguing and fascinating it commands respect from all who go near it [Music] the maori chant grew from a prayer addressed to deities in the forest the warm humid climate here has produced giant species which the maori people cherish bill matthews pays homage to [Music] them giant tree a 50 meter high cowrie is the maori's gold of the forest its name tani mahuta in the original forest the maori people use certain vegetation in a very practical way when they go into the forest they take the fronds of the silver fern and they place it on the ground facing the opposite direction when they go into the forest they drop it along the way foreign [Music] a subtropical climate rains over the northernmost parts of the country the plant species have various profiles and adapt to the environment [Music] in pahia the coast is fringed with a mangrove which thrives in slightly salty water the mangrove trees form a very dense tangle without a guide getting your bearings and going through it is impossible the mangrove is an endless reservoir of wildlife aquatic life and land life birds such as the australian pied cormorant have chosen it as their home martin vreed is an expert on their habits what they'll do is they'll um collinate one particular tree um until that tree dies and then they'll move to the next tree so um yeah for some reason they like to to stick together [Applause] further up north the bay of islands opens out onto an immense expanse of water the ferry allows for quick access to several villages which are scattered around the bay it also stops off at some of the islands the region was the first in new zealand to be colonized by the europeans and in the village of waitangi the famous treaty was signed with the english the first arrivals were intimidated by the natives wall chants and we can understand why [Applause] [Music] maoris were actually cannibals they'd stick their tongue out to let the enemy know they were going to get eaten it was a very effective deterrent [Music] [Applause] [Applause] oh [Applause] [Music] [Applause] foreign [Applause] [Applause] [Music] hey [Music] seaward russell was the first seaport in new zealand founded by the europeans many plant species were imported onto the islands by sailors from europe some species had less of a journey originating from an island in the north of the country the norfolk island pine is recognizable from its silhouette thousands of kilometers away from the european continent the bay of islands coastline was not as peaceful as it seemed the big colonial powers engaged in fierce competition their struggle for power stretched to all aspects of daily life the local architecture still bears the mark of the colonists their memory also lives on thanks to these monumental trees a giant fig tree was planted at the end of the 19th century this strong colonial rivalry was also expressed through religion as a way of fighting against the spread of the anglican church the french created a mission at russell it's the oldest building in the country built by catholics [Music] the bay of islands owes its name to the 144 islands scattered around there along the 800 kilometer shoreline the bay is blessed by nature you have to get up at the crack of dawn to observe the marine wildlife [Music] with a little patience the silhouettes of dolphins soon start to appear [Music] the common bottlenose dolphin is the most well-known species it can be found in all the world's seas [Applause] [Music] when it hits the water's surface the dolphin is expressing itself but it's still unclear whether it's trying to be intimidating or show that it's satisfied [Music] the black rocks appear on the surface of the bay of islands the compact boulders are made up of basalt a volcanic rock these rocks came out of the water during an eruption over a million years ago the nine-pin rock is a focal point in the ocean the bay of islands was left untouched by man the beaches the islands the sea inlets nature there has remained intact it's said that after rio de janeiro in brazil the bay of islands has the bluest sky in the world we can understand why seafarers over several centuries have chosen to drop anchor here [Music] [Applause] [Music] when leaving auckland and heading south the colour green and sheep dominate the gently curving landscape [Music] just over the hill a small timeless village by lake appears it's hobbiton one of the filming locations for lord of the rings the well-known film directed by new zealander peter jackson [Music] inspired by an english medieval village the village of the hobbits was created from scratch for production it became a tourist attraction and today you can visit a place that was popular with the hobbits the green dragon inn [Music] the earth houses have been adapted to the hobbit small stature the indoor scenes were filmed in a studio henry horn is well acquainted with hobbiton so all the interior film work which was all done in the studios in wellington and the only house you ever see inside of throughout the trilogy is bag end which is the home of frodo and bilbo so this village has been created for the exterior illusion for the filming price further down south in rotorua fumaroles escape from the ground the water vapor passes through the cracks in the rock it indicates the presence of hot springs when the steam is subjected to high pressure it's ejected in the form of a giza the pressure depends on the ground itself when there's little pressure the steam drains away without spattering the vents conform into small craters yeah so in this region there are a lot of geysers because there's just heat coming from the earth's core trying to get to the surface whether that takes the form of a mud pool or a geyser or a fumerole a steam vent everything is basically heat coming to the surface the north island owes a lot to hot water springs in fact sometimes it's referred to as the smoky [Music] island maori people have been using hot springs to keep warm wash make remedies and cook their food for a long time the braided baskets plunged into the boiling water allows for food to be cooked within minutes it's a natural healthy and very eco-friendly way of cooking maurice didn't have to cut down trees to cook or keep warm consequently the hot water springs also contributed to protecting the environment [Applause] the rotorua museum is dedicated to maori culture for centuries getting tattoos has been a maori custom their tattoos have been copied around the world [Applause] tattoos here aren't a fashion statement it's a process which hails back to ancient practices jason phillips is a tattoo artist it's a tradition in our culture because in the old days people of high rank if you were a chief if you're a princess if you are a high ranked woman or man you may have been a super duper warrior you may have been the shaman you may have been a master at some sort of art you had to be someone special to earn a maori tattoo okay the maori culture is full of symbols our instruments are on that sacred level again they all have a meaning they all have a purpose um this one relates to the to war it's a war trumpet it's very loud i don't know if it's good for your speakers or not the south island has a more regular geometric shape than its neighbor it stretches over a thousand kilometers running along the length of it are the southern alps this mountain range is the real backbone of the island because of its mountainous area the south island is far less populated than the north island [Music] the land around it can be arid at times which means there are few populated areas [Music] in the lower half of the island more inland the city opens onto the edge of lake wakatipu it stretches over 80 kilometers and is the longest lake in the country [Music] the life of this quiet town was turned upside down after it was established in the mid 19th century gold was discovered in the region and led to a mining rush but it ran out and queenstown went back to being a quiet town today it's still a peaceful place completely surrounded by nature [Music] paragliding is one of the most exhilarating sports at the resort but also one of the most long-standing [Music] in queenstown interaction with nature is often spectacular on the water underwater above water modern techniques even allow for the laws of gravity to be defied thrust by jet of water the flyboard could almost be mistaken for a dolphin the speedboats really show off their moves not to mention the upward parachute and the stunning view you get over the lake lake wakatipu stretches out over a deep glacial valley in places it reaches a depth of almost 400 meters every 25 minutes the water level goes up and down by 10 centimeters this phenomenon is due to the particular shape of the lake [Music] the maori thought that this regular movement was caused by a monster breathing at the bottom of the water [Music] at the foot of mount nicholas the banks of lake wakatipu become wider opening up all the space needed for rural activities these banks have provided a good breeding ground particularly for merino sheep if the flock of sheep stay perfectly grouped together it's because merino sheep are kept in line and monitored by vigilant sheepdogs [Music] mourinho sheep are among the best producers of wool [Music] in tight formation they're led to the bomb to be sheared the sheep are quite used to it and don't shy away from the shears she'll say hi she doesn't mind she likes being on camera don't you there's a lot of different breeds in new zealand there's about 30 million sheep and only about four million of those are merinos most other breeds in new zealand are for meat production whereas merinos are quite unique in that we found them for wool production the sheep easily adapt to different environments sheep are a very important part of the new zealand economy they basically were the backbone of farming in new zealand for some years they've now been outgrown by the dairy industry but in areas of new zealand like this that are that have have more challenging terrain and mountains where you can't run dairy cattle sheep are still a very very important part of farming in new zealand [Music] the southern alps are a major obstacle as they are tricky to climb in fact around 15 summits are over 3000 meters high and the upward trend still continues because mountains are getting one centimeter higher every year that said erosion flattens the summits and hollows out very deep valleys such as the one in the shot over river [Music] this river is an ideal place for those who are good at jet boating the jet boat speed is impressive and yet the propulsion system is completely eco-friendly kevin malloy the jet boat it's our new zealand invention works by sucking the water up and pushing it out the back at about 400 liters a second so we're driven by a big jet of water [Music] in the 19th century gold was found in the river hence the remains of the fixtures that were used by the gold planners some discoveries appeared to be a miracle uh that dredge not so much but yes on the river where we are now two shepherds in 1862 now they found 12 and a half kilos one afternoon with a pen and a knife a miraculous catch which fishermen can't help but dream of so rainbow trout native to new zealand a suspension bridge spans across the gorge of the carawao river in the past gold diggers would make use of it standing 43 meters high the bridge was the birthplace of bungee jumping cameron freyr is one of the current organizers um i don't know if it's new zealand sport but it's um it's definitely a hobby that everyone's you know associated with new zealand and aj haircut just because we were um one of the first people do it commercially and people find it uh the home of bungie so most people when they want to do their first bungie they want to come to the original site which is the cow royal bungee bridge so what are your impressions it was really good i really enjoyed it a little bit of a moment before i fell when i was thinking this is a great idea but once i was going really good the length of the bungee is measured out so that jumpers can skim just over the water the first bungee jumps were done in new zealand in the 1980s at first bungee jumpers were attached by a simple vine today safety measures and technology have developed the bungee is adjusted according to the jumper's weight which is written on their hand to avoid any confusion [Applause] the landing recovery method is very simple [Music] enthusiasm for bungee jumping isn't dying down the recipe for success [Applause] strict adherence to safety [Music] [Music] the southern alps stop the very humid ocean currents coming in from the west as a result precipitation on the mountains is a lot heavier on the western slopes [Music] when they arrived the first married people noticed a long white cloud in the distance it served as a landmark they called their new land aotearoa the country of the long white cloud the erosion of glaciers is spectacular when a glacier retreats and the sea fills the valley it creates a forward like doubtful sound in the southwestern part of the island the name comes from the fact that the first explorers doubted that the fjord was navigable since then sailors have become well acquainted with it [Music] dave allen oh fjord's a um it's a scandinavian name and it's uh typically created by uh glacial carving so in fiordland they tell us over the last 2 million years we've had 20 ice ages one every 10 000 years or so hundreds of waterfalls flow into the fjord with fresh water but the fresh water stays on the surface it doesn't mix with the salt water these two different layers of water block out the sunlight the fjords water is therefore darker [Music] the steep banks are completely covered by dense vegetation so much so that the trees are also enveloped by other plants thanks to boats we can access a world which would be completely inaccessible via dry land 40 kilometers later doubtful sound comes out onto the tasman sea on the wave beaten rocks seals take a nap when on ground seals always lie down as they are unable to stay upright [Music] in the valley of the caraway river gold diggers have left numerous traces of their trails today the precious metal rush is nothing more than a distant memory sometimes there may be some unexpected remains from a boom town such as cromwell [Music] the southern alps undergo severe erosion they are young mountains with steep slopes the rocks at the summit are naturally carried down towards the valley and with the frequent earthquakes they come down even quicker the rocks are weathered by exposure to the sun wind and also freezing processes heavy precipitation fuels the numerous watercourses taken away by the current the rock is torn off the mountain and reduced to a powder it whitens the water all the way to the ocean a lake sometimes forms at the foot of a glacier the tasman glacier is the largest in the country it ends up in a lake of milky water enormous blocks of ice detach from the glacier and float around before melting there are over three thousand glaciers in new zealand but their surface continues to fade away [Music] [Applause] [Music] the high mountainous landscapes are constantly evolving the erosion and movement of the earth's crust keeps changing the layout of places [Music] in fact the island's highest point mount cook has varied by 40 or so meters since it was first measured [Music] matthew wayne hollands knows this region well the mountain cook up there that's our country's largest mountain so it's 3724 metres above sea level our biggest peak it has a one mile summit ridge line it was first climbed on christmas day in 1894 as you saw it was quite steep a very challenging mountain for the uh for all the mountaineers that attempt to climb that mountain [Music] the snow tightly compacted by its own weight turns into ice it flows into the glaciers which move over considerable distances the largest glaciers in new zealand are almost 30 kilometers long some go down to an altitude of only 300 meters the ocean is only 10 or so kilometers away [Music] [Music] on the road leading down from mount cook lake pukaki is a stunning site vibrant with color the water in this glacial lake contains rock flower a very fine powder the particles absorb all the colours of the light apart from blue and green which reflects and is what we can see fish really appreciate the lake's waters in the fish pens salmon need cold clean and well oxygenated water [Music] in the bank's peninsula the water from the pacific bathes the village of akaroa boats make use of this centuries-old popular anchorage site [Music] in the 19th century the english dominated the north island and the south island remained free the europeans bought the bank's peninsula from the maoris they established a colony which was unable to resist the british for long apart from two villages where colonists wormed their way in acaroa is one of those two villages the traces left by the colonists are still visible they were french [Music] today some of the inhabitants are direct descendants of the french colonists in fact you can spot them at first glance [Music] at the giants house artistic creation takes over every nook and cranny [Music] all materials are gathered together for inspiration wood metal glass ceramics terracotta well beyond the borders of her garden which could be an art gallery the artist josie martin finds inspiration by the bucket load here at the giant's house we have people from all around the world visit every day and that is also inspiration [Music] but where do all these imaginary creatures come from but because i've traveled a lot it is a bit like a diary for me my life and travels and the things i love it's my passion [Music] the remains of new zealand's volcanoes are not always visible this is the case for akaroa harbour which is situated in the crater of a very old volcano the volcanic cone was 1500 metres high and rose right in the middle of the sea [Music] nowadays some of the volcanoes hills are almost completely worn down as erosion unrelentingly continues its undermining process it has created some enormous excavations in the rock the grotto called cathedral cave could house a cathedral [Music] it serves as a very useful shelter for this seal colony new zealand's coastline has other surprises providing that you don't stray too far out less than a kilometer away from the coastline you can catch a glimpse of an endangered marine species hector's dolphin this mammal only lives in new zealand it's the rarest and smallest of all the dolphins in the world [Music] on the other end of the planet new zealand has made the most of its isolated state unchanging traditions and unspoiled landscapes chose the country in its true light [Applause] external influences have been integrated but its strong character has remained today new zealand has grown into a real eco-friendly culture [Music] [Music] [Music] you

Channel: Best Documentary

Views: 177,433

Keywords: documentary, travel, new zealand, discovery, trip, moutain, nature, wild life

Id: _iuZTE4vMw0

Length: 52min 17sec (3137 seconds)

Published: Fri Oct 15 2021