ESPECIALLY FOR DOG LOVERS
Bronze Sheep Canine Statue Monument
Throughout our go to to New Zealand 9 years in the past in 2015 – whereas travelling from Christchurch to Queenstown – I used to be pleasantly shocked to see a Bronze Statue of a Canine – a memorial for James Mackenzie’s legendary Sheepdog (Collie).
It was the primary time that I had seen a monument devoted to a canine.
The sheep canine statue stands proudly on the shores of the distinctive beautiful turquoise waters of Lake Tekapo – amidst breathtaking surroundings of snow capped mountains of the Southern Alps.
Lake Tekapo is positioned within the coronary heart of Mackenzie County within the Canterbury Area of South New Zealand – midway between Christchurch and Queenstown.
After leaving Christchurch – you drive previous the luxurious inexperienced Canterbury Plains – then cross the cities of Geraldine, Fairlie and Kimbell – and then you definately climb up – and traverse throughout the Burkes Go into scenic basin within the coronary heart of the mountainous South Island referred to as ‘Mackenzie Nation’.
Mackenzie Nation has fascinating landscapes and two lakes Tekapo and Pukaki whose waters have a singular turquoise color brought on by glacial flour suspended within the water.
On the coronary heart of Mackenzie Nation is the gorgeous Lake Tekapo with its marvelous turquoise waters surrounded by magnificent surroundings and the awe-inspiring snowcapped peaks together with the cloud-piercing Aoraki Mount Prepare dinner.
(The Mackenzie Nation was freed from human beings till a number of hundred years in the past with the arrival of the Maori searching for meals. The Moa, a big flightless chook now extinct, and different birds have been hunted and eels fished for within the space. The Maori referred to as the realm Takapo – which means “To depart in haste at night time”. The present title – Tekapo – is presumably a corruption of Takapo).
As I advised you earlier – Lake Tekapo is nestled within the coronary heart of New Zealand’s South Island. The lake lies on the foot of the Southern Alps, which rise to a top of three kilometres. New Zealand’s highest mountain, Mount Prepare dinner (Aoraki) is a brief drive away and rises to three,753m (12,313ft).
Lake Tekapo is really beautiful – a panoramic sight with its turquoise waters and surrounded by spectacular surroundings and a most fantastic view of the Southern Alps together with the snow-covered mountains like Mount Prepare dinner.
Here’s a image of Lake Tekapo with Mount Prepare dinner within the distance which I took on my smartphone on 26 December 2015.
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| Lake Tekapo |
COLLIE SHEEP DOG STATUE
Standing proudly on a big rock on the shores of Lake Tekapo is a bronze statue of a Collie Sheep Canine.
In 1855 James Mackenzie – a Scottish Shepherd found this basin that now bears his title (Mackenzie Nation).
As per native folklore – James Mackenzie was a “Sheep Stealer”.
The story goes on to say that “Sheep Thief” James Mackenzie had a loyal Collie Sheep Canine named “Friday” who used to guard his sheep and hustle the flocks of stolen sheep into his sheep farms.
By stealing sheep from the Canterbury Plains and driving them inland throughout mountain passes into this distant space with the assistance of his Collie Canine ‘Friday’– James Mackenzie had turn out to be a affluent sheep farmer.
At some point James Mackenzie’s deeds caught up with him.
James Mackenzie was arrested and despatched to jail.
The authorities went up the Burkes Go into the “Mackenzie Basin” to retrieve the stolen sheep and return them to their rightful homeowners.
Nevertheless – James Mackenzie’s loyal Collie Sheepdog continued to guard his sheep.
Mackenzie’s very smart canine ‘Friday’ continued to drive the sheep with out his grasp’s management.
The Sheepdog ‘Friday’ couldn’t be restrained – and the canine aggressively attacked anybody who tried to come back close to his sheep.
Lastly – Mackenzie’s Collie Sheep Canine ‘Friday’ was shot and put down by the authorities.
The loyal Canine resolutely carried out his responsibility in the direction of his Grasp until his final breath and gave up his life for his Grasp.
The seize of James Mackenzie, for being “within the firm of a thousand stolen sheep” as he rustled them together with his canine ‘Friday’, by means of a distant alpine go into “a plain of immense extent” resulted in his deeds being immortalized and his title being given these highlands ever since – therefore the realm is named “Mackenzie Nation”.
A few years later – the residents of Mackenzie Nation determined to assemble this monument in reminiscence of James Mackenzie’s legendary Collie Sheepdog ‘Friday’ and all of the hardy working Collie Canine with out the assistance of which the grazing of this mountainous nation would have been unimaginable.
Like Mackenzie – within the 19th century – many Scottish shepherds got here to work on the pastoral runs of the Japanese South Island – and the excessive nation couldn’t have been farmed efficiently with out the Border Collies they introduced with them.
Thus – along with ‘Friday’ – this monument at Lake Tekapo honours all these ‘Canine Scots’ of Mackenzie Nation.
This monument is devoted to all good and devoted Collie sheepdogs who at all times gave their greatest regardless of the climate or hardships, in burning warmth and frozen snow.
It’s a distinctive monument devoted to a canine – I’m wondering if there may be any such memorial devoted to a canine elsewhere on the earth.
The bronze canine statue was commissioned by Mackenzie Nation residents in recognition of the indispensable position of the sheepdog of their livelihoods. The sculptor was Innes Elliott of Kaikoura, with a canine referred to as Haig, belonging to a neighbour, being the mannequin. Elliott reported the sculpting course of took roughly 15 months. Clay for the mannequin got here from the insulator works in Temuka, with a plaster forged of it made and despatched to London in 1966, the place the statue was forged.
The statue was unveiled on the 7th of March 1968 by Sir Arthur Espie Porritt, Governor-Normal of New Zealand.
The inscription on the monument plaque reads:
“This monument was erected by the runholders of the Mackenzie County and people who additionally recognize the worth of the collie canine, with out the assistance of which the grazing of the mountain nation could be unimaginable.
Unveiled on March 7, 1968, by Sir Arthur Espie Porritt, BT, GCMG, KCVO, CBE, Governor Normal of New Zealand
‘Beannachdan Air Na Cu Caorach’ (which in Gaelic means “blessings on the sheep canines”).”
Listed below are a couple of photos of the ‘Tekapo Canine Memorial’ which I took on my smartphone throughout my go to to Lake Tekapo on the 26th of December 2015.
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Collie Sheep Canine Statue
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‘Friday’ – the sheepdog belonging to Mackenzie, the folks hero who was the primary European to seek out the route into this mountainous Basin – and all sheepdogs are remembered with the phrase “Beannachdan Air na Cu Caorach” (which suggests “Blessings on the Sheep Canine”) on the monument plaque.
Totally different Facet Views of the Tekapo Sheep Canine Statue
On the shores of the Turquoise Waters of Lake Tekapo
Lake Tekapo is a scenic resort with picturesque environment and breathtaking views. The air is pure and the sky is obvious. For these all in favour of astronomy, this place has the darkest night time skies and observatory open to public. There’s a lot to do within the stunning tranquil setting and good amenities for lodging and meals. Lake Tekapo is conveniently related – positioned halfway between Christchurch and Queenstown – a 3 hour drive from both place – and is a perfect stopover for every type of vacationers – a great honeymoon vacation spot too. On our subsequent go to – we will definitely spend a day or two in Lake Tekapo.
VIKRAM KARVE
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My Supply Weblog Submit in my Educational and Inventive Writing Journal Vikram Karve URL: http://karvediat.blogspot.com/2016/02/for-dog-lovers-tekapo-dog-memorial.html and in addition posted in my weblog at URLs: http://karvediat.blogspot.com/2021/08/travel-memories-new-zealand-lake-tekapo.html and https://karve.wordpress.com/2016/02/05/memories-of-new-zealand-mackenzie-sheep-dog-memorial-at-lake-tekapo-travelogue/ and https://vikramkarve.medium.com/travel-memories-new-zealand-lake-tekapo-sheep-dog-memorial-b82287051969 and so on.
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