For three days Pauline and I have been on a pilgrimage to see and photograph the churches of the Hotianga in New Zealand's Northland. I suspect that some may think it odd that an atheist (that's me, I'm not sure what Pauline is) is running around with an interest in churches. It's quite simple. As one of the people we met, a Maori by the name of Mr Pickering, said when we asked whether there was a good congregation at the church "The old are dying off so they don't come any more. The young don't come to church. The rest ?. So the churches are empty." But they come to be buried. For me what is important is the role that the church played as a focal point in society and the conversion and education in European language and ways of the indigenous population of New Zealand. In addition there are so many attractive old (by New Zealand standards) church buildings occupying the most significant places in the landscape and in the culture and history of the country that I feel their preservation is both culturally and historically important.
I could post on a lot of old churches which I'm sure would bore you very much. Notwithstanding the latter statement I shall probably put many of them on the blog over the next while just so that I have a record of them.
The area we covered for the exploration is shown on this map. We were staying in Kohukohu.
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While I personally do not adhere to any religion, I am fascinated by the concept of such, and what it has been able to instill in people (good and bad things) throughout history, all over the globe, in terms of culture, architecture, art, music, literature, doctrine, laws and regulations, war and the most terrible atrocities as well as the most admirable examples of courage and love.
ReplyDeleteI could not have said it better myself, Meike.
DeleteI'm looking forward to seeing them! In Sweden too, many old churches of various denominations have been closed down. Since our Lutheran church was separated from the state in 2000, they are struggling with the maintanence of all the still culturally interesting old buildings vs adjustment to contemporary activity.
ReplyDeleteIt seems to be the way just about everywhere I've been Monica.
DeleteChurches are getting a bit rare down here - stone ones anyway! There are ome lovely ones round Northlands - mainly wood and I used to love calling in to see them.
ReplyDeleteHave fun :)
I've not seen any stone ones in Northland. Many of the wooden ones were built in the 1800s though which by New Zealand standards makes them quite old.
DeleteMe too GB. I seek them out. Whilst being antipathetic to the fervour that created them...
ReplyDeleteReligion is fascinating. The numinous is fascinating. And churches house that sense of the sacred.