Christchurch, New Zealand Hosts Two World Class Events

My husband and I had one day in Christchurch, New Zealand before boarding a train for Greymouth, New Zealand. How could we make the most of the eight or so hours we had to spend in Christchurch? As we made our way to Cathedral Square, the center of Christchurch, we heard band music. Approaching the town center, we noticed it had been transformed into a sea of color, the colors of the world. We had stumbled upon the opening ceremonies of the International Paralympics Committee Athletics World Championships.

Elated, we stood on the curb and watched as over 1000 athletes with disabilities from 79 countries paraded by us. There were athletes in wheel chairs, amputees and blind athletes. It was the most inspiring parade I have ever witnessed. Being the host country, the New Zealand team was the last to enter the Square. Their team was followed by a group of Maori natives. The Maori chief gave a Powhiri, a Maori welcome, in his native tongue as well as in English. After the Maori welcome, New Zealand's prime minister welcomed the athletes and visitors.

The disabled athletes, however, were not the only celebrities filling the Square with color and entertainment. Christchurch was simultaneously hosting the World Buskers Festival. The Buskers Festival is Christchurch's biggest and most popular summer event. It is a 10 day extravaganza that features performers from all over the world. The acts include juggling, acrobatics, acts of daring, such as knife throwing, comedy and more. Buskers are street performers who put on a show for free but depend on donations from the audience to cover their expenses.

The Twisty Twins were the first performers to attract us. They are identical twin sisters whose talents include acrobatics, hand balancing and contortion. As so many of the performers do, the twins involve members of the audience which adds a bit of humor to their act.

Kalabazi Jessica Arpin was the next performer to attract us. She is an actress, clown and circus artist whose act revolves around a story. Jessica portrays a young, foreign woman who must get married if she is to stay in New Zealand. She chooses two men from the audience who must vie for her affections. The unexpected reactions of these participants as well as Jessica's unique style of bicycle riding, cause much hilarity.

The titles of many of the acts were enough to make us curious and wanting to see more. There were the "Half Naked Chef," "Mullet Man" and "Rubberband Boy" to name just a few. Unfortunately, we were tired and hungry and stifled our curiosity in order to find some food. As we left the Square, we marveled at the wonderful experiences we had had during our one day in Christchurch.

Sources: 1. The Christchurch Press newspaper.

2. The World Buskers Festival program