Maori Experience

Time that we have spent in New Zealand has been nice, even though some of the days the weather was not that great. One of the coolest things we have done here is the trip we did to a Maori show in a Marae village. They wore exotic costumes and had tattoos all over there faces, which represented for the women: the tattoos tells their family’s past and where they come from. The men’s tattoos tell about battles and stories of there past. My favorite of their costumes is the toga looking skin that the chief, Tu Te Whare Maire wore. They started the show with a legendary love story, then they danced and while they danced they would bulge out there eyes and they would stick out there tongues, it was pretty cool. After about 10 to 15 minutes they ended and then took us to the Wharekai which it means in our terms, the dining room. They proceeded to set up a buffet with lamb, chicken, fish, mussels, stuffing, vegetables, and bread and salad. The food was really nice and the taste of how they cooked it was delightful. After when our stomaches were about to burst they offered to show how they cooked the food in the “Hangi” which means earthen oven. When they finished that they then preformed the closing ceremony which they sang and danced, and everybody sang and held hands. Then after everyone was calmed down we all retired to the buses and headed back to are lodge. All in all it was a pretty good day and think that the Maoris were very smart and crafty about how to scare there enemies with there face making and there tongue sticking out.

- Tim Mitchell