Greenstone, Whitebait and Gorge (Hokitika, New Zealand)
Driving only a couple of blocks through along Hokitika’s main street leaves no-one in any doubt as to the main attraction of the area – greenstone. The local Maori population has always treasured the valued greenstone (or jade) found in nearby rivers and along the beach. The Hokitika Museum has many beautiful pieces of greenstone, from boulders straight from the river to wonderfully worked pieces.
Numerous shops and studios are town engage in carving, polishing and selling greenstone. Their showrooms are full of wonderful pieces of greenstone whether it be large unworked boulders or ornately detailed jewellery, figurines and artworks, some with a classic Maori flavour. Next to the showroom, visitors can witness the painstaking work carefully shaping the hardened rock into delicate works of art.
Games Around the World: Two Up (Australia)
As the Australian memorial day of Anzac Day recently passed (April 25), it seems an ideal time to introduce the popular Australian gambling game of Two Up. The game only requires two pennies and a flat throwing stick called a kip and can be played nearly anywhere.
The thrower or spinner simply tosses the two pennies from the kip into the air with people betting between each other (or against the house) on whether the result are two heads or two tails. A head and a tail (odds) results in a re-throw. The spinner continues throwing until throwing tails when a new spinner is introduced with the shout of Come In Spinner.