Republic Day in Whangamomona

The tiny village of Whangamomona is situated approximately half way along SH43, romantically called “The Forgotten World Highway”.  The village declared itself a republic in 1989 following a boundary dispute, and holds two yearly presidential elections, issued passports and generally has a whole heap of fun.  We were there for the 2013 Republic Day and together with many others, joined in the celebrations.  But first we had to buy our passports and get them stamped, to ensure our safety and allow our entry on Republic Day. 

  

Our passports for the day

Border Control

The normally quiet, sleepy village was filled with people and stalls selling all sorts of wares lined the street.  There was a lot going on, from rural pursuits such as shearing, wood chopping and sheep dog trials.  Helicopter rides were on offer for those with deep pockets.  Then there were the more “Whanga” styled activities, such as possum skinning, whip cracking, gum boot throwing and the sheep race down the main road. The “Gut Buster” race was keenly contested by young and older participates, with some running in bare feet.  Down the road they went, up the hill, along the ridge, around the macrocarpa tree on the skyline, back down the hill at break-neck speed, and then the winner came loping back up the street to stop just outside the pub

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Start of the Gut Buster race

The aptly named “Shrek”, the corridale sheep who had been hiding away whenever the annual shearing gang came calling,  had several years growth of wool weighing him down.  This all came to an end when the shearing exhibition took place.  Shrek was deftly sat on his rump, and the shearer got to work, taking off all that wool, leaving Shrek looking just like every other shorn sheep when the job was finished.

Taking off Shrek’s long fleece

Then we were treated to an exhibition of blind-folded sheep shearing.  (No, it wasn’t the sheep who was blind-folded, but the shearer).  The young man very cleverly did the whole job with a blind fold around his eyes.

Shearing a sheep blind-folded

There were plenty of stalls selling tasty food for lunch, and we joined the long queue of people and ordered our hot roast pork sandwiches,  These were deftly put together by a team of “Whanga Women” and we enjoyed our lunch sitting on hay bales under a shady tree, watching the crowds go by.

Preparing our hot roast pork sandwiches

Then came the event that I was waiting to see, the sheep racing.  Crowds lined the street, making sure that there were no gaps where a wily sheep could slip past.  Down the far end of town, dust filled the air, and they were off.  Nearer and nearer they ran, not really sure about all these people who were watching and shouting at them.  A farmer on a quad bike and his trusty dog kept them coming.  They reached the pub, and rushed around the corner.  The race was over.

Sheep race, Whanga style

And there they go, some with jockeys

We left the crowds behind and walked back to camp.  The helicopter kept buzzing overhead and the paying customers would be enjoying a birds eye view of the area. This was the first Republic Day we had attended, and it was certainly was an interesting experience.  Wonder who won the Presidential Election?