I walked on to the microbial cleaning station at the edge of Waipoua Forest, located on the western edge of New Zealand’s North Island and gave my shoes a thorough wash. It was a beautiful sunny day, and a brilliant blue sky cloaked the world in a hearty warmth that dispelled the chill of the coming New Zealand winter.  I’ve seen foot washing stations at several New Zealand parks and they’re designed to ensure visitors do not track lethal bugs into the park—no one wants to see forest life destroyed. “What a wonderful idea!” I thought.

I and the other members of my group were on our way to visit Tane Mahuta, Lord of the Forest. Tane is a kauri tree measuring 51.2 metres tall and he has a girth of 13.77 metres. Tane Mahuta is estimated to be about 2,000 years old, making him one of the oldest living trees in the world. This is one massive, lordly tree, and standing in its presence is an awe-inspiring experience.

Kauri tree roots are very sensitive, so visitors must stay on the wooden boardwalk that winds its way through this peaceful forest. New Zealanders take the preservation of their wildlife very seriously and I sensed a great respect for nature in this beautiful country.

The air was still as we stared up at this gorgeous tree and an enormous reverence seemed to fill the hearts of everyone present. This tree was just a seedling when Roman soldiers had begun building amphitheatres in Europe. It was reaching up to the top of the tree canopy before Europeans had built sustainable communities in North America. It’s no surprise that one can almost feel the track of history pulsing through the dignified capillaries of this magnificent tree. It was a remarkable reminder of what the word “awe” truly means.

Maori legend notes that Tane is the son of sky father Rangini and sky mother Papatuanuku. Before light existed, the couple were bound in a tight marital embrace that deprived the children around their feet of light. One day, in a state of great frustration, Tane Mahuta thrust his powerful legs upward and pushed his parents apart forever, which devastated his parents but allowed sunlight to filter in to the world. This allowed new vegetation to grow, and Tane Mahuta clothed his mother with it. The living creatures of the forest are considered to be Tane Mahuta’s children.

Standing before Tane Mahuta in this timeless park in New Zealand, I felt enormously peaceful and I was touched by the power of a story to add depth to my experience. The Maori language is beautiful, and I was lulled by the sound of new words rippling over me as our guides on the walk talked with each other and patiently explained the significance of the park, and its trees, to everyone who calls planet Earth home.  It was a wonderful reminder of the power of words.

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