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Spectrum was a long-running weekly radio documentary series which captured the essence of New Zealand from 1972 to 2016. Alwyn Owen and Jack Perkins produced the series for many years, creating a valuable library of New Zealand oral history
The fall in the thermal activity at Rotorua's Whakarewarewa village, has caused national concern but it has a special significance to the villagers who live alongside the pools and geysers. Guide "Bubbles" (Dorothy Mihinui) shows Jack Perkins the changes that are taking place
This episode of Spectrum begins with a conversation between Dorothy Huhana Mihinui and another resident at Whakarewarewa. Dorothy is famously known as Guide Bubbles. There has been a tangihanga at the village in the last three days.
Jack Perkins speaks about the changing landscape of Whakarewarewa and decrease in geothermal activity in the last 30 years.
Guide Bubbles describes the geothermal area as a “taonga tuku iho”. She talks to Jack Perkins about the geysers Waikete and Kererū. The geyser Kererū is named for the shape of the rock from which the geyser erupts.
Guide Bubbles describes the kōrero of her kaumātua in regards to the Tarawera eruption. The eruption was seen to be a consequence of transgression. Guide Bubbles poses the question of transgression in response to the decrease in geothermal activity today.
Guide Bubbles shows Jack Perkins some areas of Whakarewarewa where the decrease in geothermal activity is very obvious, and has noticeably changed only in a matter of months. She says this is a cause for concern in the village.
Audible bubbling noises as Guide Bubbles shows Jack Perkins the pool that is the main source of water from the village. The villagers would bring kettles of cold water and place them in this pool. After a period the water would be hot enough for tea.
A returned serviceman has passed, and Guide Bubbles says one of the pools is has been used in the last hour to cook food for the tangi.
Jack and Guide Bubbles head to the bathing pools. Guide Bubbles talks about the significance of the bathing pools and that coming to use the pools is a way to remind the children from the village where they come from.
Guide Bubbles talks about the tipuna Ngātoroirangi and the kōrero of the iwi about how geothermal activity came to Aotearoa. She relays this story to the present day situation in Whakarewarewa of reduced geothermal activity. Bubbling pools can be heard in the background.
Jack Perkins asks if the pools have been used for medicinal purposes. Guide Bubbles talks about the particular pools that were used for different kinds of healing, such as the “oil pools” which are muddy in appearance.
Guide Bubbles talks about a man from the village who would utilise the pools in making burial caskets. She recalls seeing the man put the wood in the water and watching the wood bend. She speaks of other ways in which locals would koha food and services to bereaved families. She says that pigs were singed the hot water, instead of with fire as is common elsewhere.
They tour some of the buildings in Whakarewarewa including the Roman-Catholic church. Guide Bubbles points out steam outlets in the ground which help keep the village safe and stable.
She ends with a reflection on the rich landscape around her and the village. “He taonga tuku iho, whakarere iho nā ō koutou tūpuna. These are the blessings which have been bestowed upon you, above all, respect them.”