At the southern end of the world, the isolated archipelago of New Zealand hosted the Cousteau team from 1986 to 1987. The Maoris were the first people, a thousand years ago, to settle in these islands in the far Pacific Ocean. They shared with Calypso’s expedition crew their rich and dazzling culture, with its pirogues carved from a single tree trunk, masks and ritual dances.

At the southern end of the world, the isolated archipelago of New Zealand hosted the Cousteau team from 1986 to 1987. The Maoris were the first people, a thousand years ago, to settle in these islands in the far Pacific Ocean. They shared with Calypso’s expedition crew their rich and dazzling culture, with its pirogues carved from a single tree trunk, masks and ritual dances.

Screen Shot 2014-04-14 at 11.45.16Unique landscapes sketched with volcanic eruptions fascinated the team almost as much as the shimmering colours of the ocean depths. This is a very young land, scarcely a million years old. Here the very ground is alive; it moves, it smokes, it heats. Whistling steam escapes from faults providing free, abundant, natural energy.

There were so many wonders to show that two films were produced. New Zealand is cut off from other land masses and the life forms there are unique. The kiwi, is the national symbol, a bird that does not fly. In times pas t it had no predators, no mammals or snakes, and no need to fly. Today, the bird is threatened because humans have imported new animals: deer, sheep, rats, etc.