Richard Bangs' Adventures with Purpose: New Zealand, Quest for Kaitiakitanga (2008)

In his second hour-long Adventures With Purpose special, Richard Bangs travels to the southernmost reaches of civilization to uncover New Zealand's pristine natural beauty, alluring culture and enigmatic mythology. In RICHARD BANGS' ADVENTURES WITH PURPOSE New Zealand: Quest for Kaitiakitanga, the father of modern adventure travel traverses the most physically and climatically diverse landmass in Polynesia in the pursuit of an age-old Mâori tradition. Bangs seeks answers to questions rooted in indigenous wisdom, hoping to unearth the meaning and origins of "kaitiakitanga," the responsibility of human beings to protect the natural world. Today's Kiwis believe the knowledge of the ancients may hold a key to the planet's survival. Bangs begins his 1,000-mile trek in Mt. Aspiring National Park, where he navigates north to the Franz Joseph Glacier and then to the east coast town of Kaikoura. From there, Bangs crosses the Cook Strait to the North Island and the capital city of Wellington. He next visits the Taupo region, heads to Hokianga Harbor, and finally makes his way to Cape Reinga on the upper tip of New Zealand, where he encounters the great tangled "spirit tree" of Mâori myth.