The Christmas Issue

As seen from space

Sometimes, I wonder what it must have been like to reach the rise of those Chain Hills, those foothills of Te Poho-o-Rakitāmau Mt St Cuthbert, and for the very first time take in that view of this wide Omarama basin inset with the silver ribbons of its braided Ahuriri River, to gaze out across tussock land, out to a dark band of beech forest rising to snow-gleaming mountains and further still to the deepest blue of beyond, or, coming to the top of those hills at night  to stare into the infinity of distant universes - to be that pioneering stargazer, navigator, warrior, hunter-gatherer, explorer, surveyor, gold prospector, farmer and settler. The pioneer who knows they’ve found home. "You may live here, but it takes many years to be a local." How many have had those words thrown at them? Someone who has been a repeat visitor to Omarama is European Space Agency German astronaut and geophysicist, one-time Commander of the International Space Station, Dr Alex Gerst. He comes here to go gliding. He has spoken of looking out from the space station as the sun rises over the South Island, of the jewel-like colours of the land, it's distinctive lakes, and the rivers wending their way down to the shore, their alluvial burden dumped and washed by waves along the coast. He has spoken of the huge psychological leap it takes to leave Earth behind and journey into the complete unknown. And he, as many astronauts have, has spoken of how when looking down on our small blue-green planet our differences seem so trivial as to be non-existent.
For the one man from Earth who has spent longest time in space - 362 days over two missions - the re-entry, crashing back through the atmosphere to the planet, was not about on whose sovereign soil he landed. Or whose flag was flying. That did not matter. He was coming home. 

In Omarama and Otematata there’s been much talk of our towns' ‘identity’. Again. Yep, even more than last year. The planners and developers are talking concepts and ‘re-branding’ for "plans going forward". It was raised again at this week’s Ahuriri Community Board meeting (see report below). “Omarama, gateway to the Mackenzie.” “Otematata, gateway to the Waitaki River system.” But we don’t want two different themes, the designer said.

But it’s those differences which make us unique and are to be treasured. Those who tell our old stories, the Waitaha and KaiTahu, named these places Te Ao Marama – place of light and Te Otematata, the place of good flint. Our two stories have been closely entwined since but are also separate.

The strength both our towns share is community – family, friendship, whanau. (Check out the photos in our 2019 album). People will do anything for you and, yes, they will also always know your business before you do. One of my favourite stories this year was about our LandSar volunteers who moved heaven and earth to find someone’s loved one claimed by the Waitaki River so he could be returned to his family. And in the same 24-hours they set out to successfully find and rescue eight young trampers – someone\s sons or daughters yet strangers, whose trip into the back country had come unstuck.  Then there are the dozens who worked together to comfort family, friends and each other after the death of Eliza-Jayne Coetzee, and, on behalf of us all , staged a final farewell. Every One Matters.

These almost intangible qualities which make up our two places - Omarama and Otematata - are hard to describe to others, difficult to see from space. These are the qualities that bind us together but also make our towns intrinsically distinct because they have grown over time from a collective response to our unique histories. These are the qualities that connect us and draw us back home to our place. We know those pathways like the back of our hands. Tūrangawaewae. The place we stand.

There’s one more thing…  Thank you for your contributions,  thank you for sharing. It is a privilege to put the Gazette together and I enjoy every moment. Truly, I could not do this without you.   A world of good wishes to you all ...The Gazette is back February 5, 2020. And from February 19, the Otematata Chronicle will be published once again. In the meantime, sit back, relax and enjoy this special Christmas issue.  We live in a truly beautiful part of the world and among a community that cares. Let's celebrate our place. - Ruth Grundy, editor.
Photo: supplied
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