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Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread Just trivia #113056 10/03/2003 3:31 AM Joined: Jul 2003 Posts: 3,230 Te Ika a Maui sjmaxq Carpal Tunnel sjmaxq Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jul 2003 Posts: 3,230 Te Ika a Maui Yesterday, I visited the National Aquarium of NZ, and read a sign saying that NZ's coastline was nearly the same as that of the US. Given the huge size disparity, and the fact the US includes the Hawaiian islands, this seemed unlikely. But it's not too far from the truth. NZ (land area 268,680 km2) has a coastline of 15,134 km. The US (land area 9,158,960 km2) has a coastline of 19,924 km. I guess all this really stuck in my mind because I love the Maaori name for the National Aquarium - it translates as "The House of Tangaroa" - Tangaroa is the god of the sea. noho ora mai http://maxqnzs.com/References.html Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Just trivia #113057 10/03/2003 3:51 AM Joined: Apr 2000 Posts: 3,065 Jakarta Bingley Carpal Tunnel Bingley Carpal Tunnel Joined: Apr 2000 Posts: 3,065 Jakarta House of the Sea-god. Sounds good, max. Are the traditional maaori gods still worshipped? Bingley Bingley Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Just trivia #113058 10/03/2003 4:02 AM Joined: Jul 2003 Posts: 3,230 Te Ika a Maui sjmaxq Carpal Tunnel sjmaxq Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jul 2003 Posts: 3,230 Te Ika a Maui I wouldn't say "worshipped", but their cultural signifcance is recognised and respected. Some politically extreme Maaori have been known to make a show of worshipping the old gods, if there's a TV camera in the vicinity. By and large though, like the rest of the world, NZ is a strictly Mammonotheistic culture. noho ora mai http://maxqnzs.com/References.html Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Just trivia #113059 10/03/2003 4:22 AM Joined: Apr 2000 Posts: 3,065 Jakarta Bingley Carpal Tunnel Bingley Carpal Tunnel Joined: Apr 2000 Posts: 3,065 Jakarta http://www.scotlandonsunday.com/international.cfm?id=1049692003 Bingley Bingley Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Moderated by  Jackie  Hop To General Topics ------  Information and announcements  Q&A about words  Wordplay and fun  Words and languages in schools  Miscellany  Weekly Themes  Looking for (writers, speakers,... (Old) Weekly themes. (have been... ------  Words from medicine  Beheading words  Meta-words  Words from classical mythology  Animal Safari  Words with unusual etymologies  Eponyms or words derived from p...  Loanwords from German  English as a global language Print Thread Switch to Threaded Mode Show Likes Link Copied to Clipboard View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary

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