Rita Angus - The Unhinged Loner

That's how my Art History lecturer described her. Supposedly one of New Zealand's most loved artists, Rita would have cringed at the thought of being loved by everyone. She didn't want to be loved. I think she would have preferred the title of "Unhinged Loner."

I have been falling in love with her art work. We had a lecture about Rita Angus a few weeks ago, and I'm still not over it. Apparently, her work is being exhibited in Christchurch. I'd love to go to Christchurch to see it.

Rita Angus was a famous New Zealand painter. Along with Colin McCahon and Toss Wollaston, she has been credited with introducing modern art to New Zealand. She is probably most noted for her regionalist genre paintings, and her self-portraits.

This is one of Rita's most noted paintings:


Cass, 1939

Everything about it is expressive - the ground, the mountains, the sky. And yes, those are Van Gogh trees. This is a response to the famous Japanese-esque New Zealand painting Taranaki by Christopher Perkins:

I love that painting.

Here's one of Rita's most famous self-portraits:

This one comes from the late 30s, early 40s, the time period when art-deco was incredibly popular in New Zealand as well as abroad. Rita is the modern woman here. She is smoking a cigarette. She is dressed in a masculine fashion (especially with the short, slick-backed hair). She is independent.

This is one might be my favorite self-portrait (although, the quality and colour of this image is not very good):

Cleopatra

The image is very reflective of ancient Egyptian artwork. The background and her top are actually a very vibrant hue of green, almost luminescent (you can't tell from this picture, though). I also love the mystery of her cropped hand. What is she doing? Is she pointing? Is she simply holding her hand up as a sort of offering? Is she holding a cigarette? (quite possibly).

And this one is my absolute favorite painting of hers:

Rutu, 1951

It was painted in the midst of Rita's most severe bout of mental illness (1949-1952). It is an excellent example of multi cultural harmony. Rita has given herself the dark complexion of a Polynesian while giving herself the blonde hair of a European. She also uses three religious/spiritual images: the lotus flower (Buddhism), the halo (Christianity), and the fish (Astrology). This is just one of the many "goddess" paintings done by Rita. I'm just so drawn to it. My lecturer, Mark Stocker, says that no one could ever attempt to make another Rutu in New Zealand - not unless they were remarkably and unusually talented, or completely crazy.

Rita Angus, thank you for having been amazing.

Te Anau and Milford Sound

Kimberly and I went to Te Anau for a couple of days so we could be really touristy and do a boat cruise of Milford Sound.

We caught an Intercity Coach at 2pm on Tuesday and arrived at Te Anau at around 6:30 (yes, it was a long bus ride). We stopped at Peggydale on the way for a 30 minute break. We also stopped in Gore for a little while since it was the halfway mark. The drive was amazing. We passed through more small towns than I can count.

Te Anau is a small town that sits along the largest fresh water lake in all of Australasia - Lake Te Anau. It's bordered by incredibly tall and beautiful mountains. We checked in at the YHA hostel and then wandered around for a bit. We got some pizza and then did some food shopping at the local supermarket.

The next day, we woke up at about 8 or 830 to get ready for another fun day of travelling. We caught a Real Journey tour bus from the waterfront at the Lake at about 1030. We drove through the Fiordland National Park to Milford Sound. We couldn't help but notice that we were the youngest people on the bus; everyone else was at least 30 years older :].

Driving through Fiordland is indescribable, truly. There were so many beautiful sights. I just can't believe it. Everything took my breath away. There are places that exist that are so beautiful, it makes me feel overcome with emotion - sometimes to the point where I just want to weep.

We did a lot of dilly dallying, which was nice. We stopped every now and then to get off the bus and walk around and take pictures.

Like this:

Mirror Lake




Here's a glacier on top of a mountain (I had never seen a glacier before).


Here I am with a glaciated valley behind me :D.

The bus driver talked about how the valleys here are prone to tree avalanches. Roughly 25% of the trees are able to embed their roots into the mountain. The other 75% simply cling to each other for support. Isn't that amazing? The forest survives because all the trees depend on one another's strength. When the rain and the wind are too strong, some of the trees fall apart. When a few of them let go, they all come tumbling down.

We got to Milford Sound at about 1:15. The sound, which actually isn't a sound at all but really a fiord, was incredibly beautiful. I took way too many pictures:


The captain said this waterfall was three times the size of Niagara Falls.


This is a view of the sound behind us from the coast of the Tasman Sea. From out at the ocean, the sound is completely concealed, so much that when Captain Cook sailed past it, he didn't realize it was there at all.


Here's the NZed coastline out at the Tasman Sea.


Here I am with Milford.


I wish I had a panoramic camera so you could get a better idea of how amazing and massive the sound really is.

The entire cruise was about 2.5 hours. It was windy and cold out on the deck, but completely worth all the amazingness.

The tour finished at about four and we headed back to Te Anau and got there at around 6. We had to rush dinner because we did the glowworm cave tour at 7pm.

We got on another boat at Lake Te Anau and went upstream for about 30 minutes. The Aurora Caves are incredibly long. It would take about three days to travel through all of them. The glow worm center only takes visitors into a tiny portion of the cave system, though.

We split into smaller groups of 12 or 13 and eventually went on a really slow and silent boat ride through some of the caves. It was amazing to see all the glow worms glowing in the cracks and crevices of the cave. Inside the cave was completely dark. I couldn't even see my hand in front of my face. Looking up at the ceiling of the cave was really neat. It looked like the night sky and all the glow worms were the stars.

It was such an amazing experience. I'm glad we did it.

We got back to the hostel at around 9:30 and quickly got ready for bed as we were exhausted from all the travelling and we had to be up early in the morning for our bus back to Dunedin.

I'm not going to Gore anymore with Kimberly and Dom during the break, but that's okay. My Mid-semester break has already been pretty eventful. Tonight we're going to Andy's place in Waitati again for a party.

I. am. so. excited.

:D

The Rough-as Weekend - Rockburn/Sugarloaf

My body has never been in so much pain. My muscles are aching everywhere. It's difficult to sit, to walk, to lift my arms. My legs are badly bruised and scratched. My feet are blistered. And my hair, strangely, still smells like a smoky campfire (even after washing it!). Somehow, there is pleasure in all the pain. It's a strange love/hate relationship. My body is so sore and miserable, but at the same time, I relish the pain and the injuries I've suffered; all of it a testament to what I went through this weekend.

What did I go through?

The most physically challenging and intense weekend of my life.

Hands down.

I didn't think the tramp was going to be easy (definitely not), but I wasn't expecting all of that.

Even the other three I was with were surprised at how hard it was. It wasn't what they had expected either.


Day 1

We left Damian's aafter 6AM and got to Glenorchy/Rockburn Entrance at about 1030/11. That first day wasn't so bad. It was basically walking up a really steep mountain for hours. Yeah, it was difficult walking uphill with a very heavy and enormous backpack, but it really wasn't so bad. The forest was beautiful. I received a botany lesson from Dr. Andy most of the way. He's 59 and has been tramping since he was about 8. He knows so much about the trees, plants, animals, and the wildnerness in general. He could be the Surivivor Man.

When we got to the top of the mountain above the bush line, we were walking through a bog. It was swampy and cold and difficult (I didn't have waterproof shoes - big mistake). I fell into a muddy puddle up to my thighs and nearly lost a shoe (Damian had to help pull me out). We tramped down a little more until we reached the bushline again, then set up camp, as it was nearly sunset.

We were just a couple hundred meters below the snow line (yes, the top of the mountain above us was covered in snow). It was cold. We had a wonderful dinner that night. Andy cooked some soup and some tuna pasta. We also had some tea to drink. It was surprisingly very nice.

I remember sitting down and looking up at the sky and being amazed at how many stars were visible. It dawned on me that I was in the middle of nowhere, completely isolated from civilization. I can't even explain the feeling of it all. It was almost incomprehensible.

That night, I got to sleep in the tent alone since Hanne (the Norwegian Superwoman) decided to be hardcore and sleep outside. It was uncomfortable and cold, but bareable. Now that I think about it, I'm not really sure why I wasn't afraid. Why wasn't I afraid to sleep in a tent alone in the middle of nowhere? I'm not really sure, but it didn't phase me at all.

Day 2

We woke up at around 7-730 and had some tea and porridge for breakfast. My legs felt surprisingly okay from the intense uphill climb the day before. By the time we set out, it was probably around 930.

The second day was the hardest and scariest day.

We walked down an incredibly steep and winding path for hours and hours. It seemed like it would never end. I thought walking downhill would be easier, but it isn't. Not at all. It's harder, and painful for your knees and thighs.

It was rainy and the path was muddy, along with being difficult since it was covered with protruding roots and slippery rocks.

There were actually many times when I was afraid - terrified - that I would slip and fall and die. Really. Die. It's something I had to force out of my mind, though (trust me, it's really hard to make yourself not think about such things when all you have is a tiny, skinny piece of path beneath you, a rock to hold on to on your left and a steep cliff to your right).

This was the most challenging day for me.

By the time we had been walking downhill for about 4 or 5 hours, I was ready to snap. I was trying so hard to keep it all together, to contain myself, but I couldn't. I'm not embarassed to say it - I had an emotional breakdown. I said, "Please go on ahead without me for a little. I need some time to collect myself." Then I sat down and just cried. Just let it all out and cried. Everything was sinking in. I realized this was the most physically intense thing I've ever done in my life. I realized it was dangerous - maybe even crazy. I kept wondering, "What on earth am I doing here? Why did I come? Why did I let them convince me?" I kept saying to myself, "I can't do this. I don't want to do this. I want to give up. I can't take it anymore."

And that's what it's all about. That battle with yourself. Being able to challenge that voice inside yourself that says, "Just give up already. This is too hard for you." You can't let that negativity conquer you.

I made it. I survived. I pushed myself, despite the pain and the misery.

That night, we reached the Rockburn Hut at about 7:15. It was glorious. We walked down a bit of the mountain in the dark (which was scary), but we had head torches (luckily). We slept in the hut that night and it was amazing. There were two twin-sized bunk beds with mattresses, a table, two benches, and a fireplace. It was heavenly. We had some soup and chicken pesto pasta for dinner. We had some beer, played 500, and talked for a bit, then finally got some sleep.

Day 3
We were up at 6AM. Had some porridge and tea for breakfast again. We were packed and ready to go by 730, I believe.

The last day was easy and hard all at once.

It was easy because we only went up and down one steep hill and walked along flat ground for most of it, but it was hard because my body was in immense pain. I could barely bend over or bend my knees, so walking was very challenging.

We reached Lake Sylvan at about noon, had some lunch, and rested for a few minutes.

Dr. Andy went on ahead without us so he could pick up the car from the parking lot to save us another hour of walking.

The weather was amazing. It was sunny and the sky was so blue and clear. The forest was amazing. I kept wondering where the hobbits were.

Reaching the end of the track was a significant moment for me. I couldn't believe that I had actually made it. That I survived. There were certainly times where I really thought I was going to make it, or I just wanted to give up.

This weekend, I had an awakening. I discovered this side of myself that I never even knew existed. And, I'm certainly much stronger than I realize.

It was hard. The hardest thing I've ever done, but I'm happy I did it. Happy and incredibly proud of myself for accomplishing something like this.

I tramped New Zealand's souther alps. And I survived.

Would I do it all over again?

I guess so, since I'm doing the Milford Track in a couple of weeks.

Well, the Milford is extremely different from the Rockburn (it's flat and the track is in excellent condition - think gravel and not mud, rocks, and roots).

Hanne said, "Tramping is like bashing your head against a wall. It feels so good. Once you stop."

Right she is.

P.S.

Here are a few photos. I'll put more up soon.



Me and Dr. Andy a.k.a. Gandolf the Gray



Walking through the bog the first day. Hanne, Andy, and that's me in the back :D).


The view behind us from the bog was pretty great.


Making our way back down to the bushline to set up camp.


The pass we walked through the second day. Intense.

Beautiful Waitati

Yesterday evening, I went out to Andy's place in Waitati with a few others from Cantores Choir. Waitati is located about 20 minutes North of Dunedin. It's a really small town on a beautiful beach. Andy and his wife have some property there and invited a few people over for dinner and some wine.

Connected to his house is an old tram car built in 1921 that has been remodelled into a sort of living room space. It was quite neat.

We went for a long walk on the beach just after the sun had set. The sky was absolutely beautiful. Walking along the beach made me feel a little homesick for Hawaii, though.







After that, we had some dinner back at Andy's, and then stayed up [basically] all night talking. It was so much fun.

I now finally have my Midsemester Break plans sorted. Hurray! :D I'm really happy about it as I waited until the last minute to plan things and wasn't sure what on earth I was going to be doing for a while.

Here's the plan:

Fri 04/10 - Sun 04/12 : tramping Paradise with Andy, Damian, and Hanne
Mon 04/13 - Wed 04/15 : Te Anau/Milford Sound with Kimberly
Thu 04/16 - Fri 04/17 : possibly go to Gore with Dom & Kimberly
Sat 04/18 : The Big Beach Bus BBQ Party in Waitati

I really was hoping to go up North for the break, but because I waited until the last minute, I couldn't find any good flight options to up to the Wellington area. It's okay though because I'm pretty sure I'll have more time later in the semester to do some travelling up North.

I am a little nervous about tramping/camping since I've never done anything like it. Ever. However, the others I'm going with are very experienced trampers. After assuring me that the track is fairly easy and that they'd be taking it at a nice, slow, and easy pace for everyone, they won me over. I don't have any tramping gear, but Damian gave me a list of things I need to pick up. Some of the equipment - like a sleeping bag and a rain jacket and a back pack - Damian is going to let me borrow. I will have to get everything sorted by this Friday though since we are leaving at around 5AM.

I was hesitant to say yes to tramping because I wasn't sure if I could handle doing something so hardcore in nature. I eventually said yes because, as Damian put it, when else am I ever going to get the opportunity to tramp an amazingly beautiful track...in New Zealand?? He's right. I cam to New Zealand to experience a new way of life. Going tramping is going to challenge me and put me completely out of my element. I think it's exactly what I need. And as Andy said, I might discover that tramping is something I absolutely love, and may want to spend my life doing it. Who knows. It'll be an adventure though, that's for sure.

It's time to get back to studying. I have two essays due this week before the break, so I need to get on it ASAP!

<3