Christchurch, New Zealand, Memories
Christchurch Cathedral, with its copper-sheathed spire. |
I wouldn’t presume to understand the emotional trauma residents of Christchurch, New Zealand have experienced this past week, as their city was torn apart by a devastating earthquake.
Even I, who have merely called New Zealand my home-away-from home for the past 3+ decades, have wept at the sight of the upheaval.
As a young traveler with no permanent address, I regularly collected my mail at the large post office in Cathedral Square. I’d then sit in the shade of the historic church and pour over the letters from home. These intimate moments forged a bond between me and this building.
On Tuesday, the earthquake shook the Cathedral until its spire crashed into the square, leaving the headless structure shattered and torn.
The pictures on TV were so horrific that I could only cope by remembering the Square the way it was: red buses with prams hanging off the back parked around the perimeter, flower carts spilling over with colorful blossoms in the center, and off to one side – the black-robed “wizard” haranguing passers-by from the top of his ladder.
These memories console me. Reality will have to wait.
The earthquake only impacted the Christchurch area, and the rest of the country is open for business and welcoming visitors. Click here if you need help planning your trip to New Zealand.
Photo credit: ADAMS / HANSEN STOCK PHOTOS.
Category: New Zealand
Here we go writing from the centre of world wide attention. The epicentre was virtually under me just down from the Lyttelton tunnel,
the greatest G force 2.2 was at the Heathcote School one street over.At 70 I never thought that I would be in a natural disaster.Floods etc yes but this is worse than right out there. Disasters of this magnitude happen over there. Somewhere.You go on line and donate $50 ,
read the papers then forget.Financially how on earth do we recover but we are lucky to be able to even think of recovery.In human terms recovery for a very large number of people will be hard if not impossible. I am so lucky,house damage,
ornaments gone,
who cares compared to a smile from a loved one or friend. Thank you USA for all you are doing for us. Read “IF” Rudyard Kipling. He tangata#44;he tangata he tangata Kia kaha. Te reo Maori. It is people,
it is people,
it is people. Stand strong.The Maori language,
language of the first people of Aotearoa New Zealand
As if the city of Christchurch did not have enough problems.We are now be battered by the legendary nor west wind.Dust storms caused by something I had never ever heard off before September 4. Liquification.Muck that comes up from the bowels of the earth#44;has dried & is now blowing all over.We are wearing masks outside.This is totally bizarre & reminds me of some horror movie way back.It is a Peter Jackson scenario with knobs on.
One has to focus & have courage to go on.People world wide have faced so much worse.
Thank you America. You stood proud#44; holding old glory & the flag of the Los Angeles Fire Dept during the two minute silence yesterday.
Arahonui Kia kaha
The motto on the coat of arms of the City of Christchurch
Fide condita, fructu beata, spe fortis
Although the motto can be translated as ‘A city founded in faith, rich in the fulfilment thereof, strong in the hope for the future’, the Latin means rather more than that:
Fide condita refers to our ecclesiastical origins and the name of the City, taking fides in the sense of the Christian faith
Fructu beata means rich in the fruits of the earth and rich in the fruits of her industry, as well as in the fulfilment of the Founders’ Faith.
Spe fortis means at once strong in hope and bold in her claims upon the future
This uTube link is an interesting explanation of what happened. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTvFDSpmh3A
On we plug, one step after the other. The political,moral high ground & I want arguing has started on the restoration of the Heritage buildings. Mother nature has given us a lesson on her strength & temper.We would be wise to listen. English style buildings on small shaky islands in the south Pacific with very bad sub soil structure may not be a good idea.Our Heritage,Pakeha & Maori, must be respected but if you keep looking backwards to the past you may trip over the future & break you neck.
There are up to,& possibly more than,10,000 houses that will be bulldozed.100,000 houses needing major repairs,including mine.Human misery & emotional dislocation all over.Why argue now when people need homes.20.000 & more have moved to Auckland let alone,Timaru,10,000,Invercargill busting at the seams. How do we encourage them back to Christchurch? He tangata,he tangata,he tangata. It is people,it is people,it is people.We need them all to come back to get the city moving again.
The repair cost is estimated to be 10% of NZ GDP.We were shaky financially but where are we now.Then there are few tradesmen to bang the nails as everyone goes to University these days.
What a fantastic chance to rebuild an iconic,exiting vibrant city in memory of those who lost their lives.Stop the stupid counter productive infighting.My two month old grand-daughter will grow up in a new city,safe,excitng with lots of green spaces.That was then,remember, this is now.Think now for 2100
“Life is what happens when you are making plans” John Lennon
Kia kaha
I absolutely agree with John Reese. Except for the area around Christchurch#44; the country is unaffected and ready to welcome visitors. In truth#44; I think March is the best month to travel in New Zealand. The days aren’t as hot as they are in February and#44; with the NZ school holidays finished#44; everything is less crowded than mid summer (Dec-Feb).
Thank you Elizabeth for your kind words. It is very hard to imagine all the loss in my hometown Christchurch. The Cathedral was like a parent as I grew up, standing tall and proud like a guardian of the city. My heart grieves to see the ruin and the loss, most especially of lives. The city will take years to rebuild. But NZers are known for their spirit and courage and determination so we all hope to see a new birth in time to come.
Seeing the photo of our Cathedral in this photo chokes me up! Our earthquake has shattered the centre of our city Christchurch, and destroyed our Cathedral. The centre of our town is not a place to be right now, but beyond the centre and out in to the countryside NZ is as beautiful as ever; lakes, mountains, open spaces, friendly locals. If anyone is thinking of coming here now is as good a time as any – some things never change! Youll love it!
Thanksgiving 2009, I travelled back home. I sang in Durham St. Methodist Church(where my Aunty/Godmother attended)the oldest stone church in CHCH. In September the church had to be red tagged after that quake. I just heard that they had three men in the church dismantling the organ to move it to a safe place when this one struck. They all died. It looks like much of the older historic part of downtown may be gone for good.