Experiencing Maori Culture in Rotorua – Tamaki Maori Village Day Trip

by Vaibhav Mehta

Very rarely do you get an opportunity to interact with & be a part of a foreign tribe’s culture. To see their journey right from their establishment – to their struggles – to their continuing prosperity across generations and evolution with passing time. Thanks to Kiwiway vacations, I got the chance of experiencing Maori culture through a Tamaki Maori Village Day trip with a Hangi dinner & Concert.

First I’ll give you a bit of information about the Maori tribe. Information that I got to know from the people of the country itself.

 

A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO THE MAORI TRIBE

I was lucky to get a chance of experiencing Maori culture in Rotorua

 

New Zealand is the home of the indigenous Polynesian settler tribe called the Maori. The tribe originated with settlers from eastern Polynesia coming to the territory of NZ in groups between 1250 & 1300.

After spending a few centuries in isolation, they developed their own way of living, with their unique language & performing art and craft. A culture that began with the art of garden cultivation (horticulture) evolved soon into a warrior culture.

 

Settlers from eastern Polynesia came to NZ in groups between 1250-1300

 

They are the second largest ethnic group in New Zealand. They’ve made a smooth transition from merging amicably with the Europeans arriving here in the 17th century, to protecting their rights and functioning smoothly in the modern NZ societal set-up.

But it’s not been that easy a journey for this tribe. They have had to fight to defend their lands at various stages and the fact that they are moving with the times, making progress in the fields of media, politics & sport- speaks volumes of their tenacity & progressive mindset.

 

JOURNEY OF THE FOUNDERS OF TAMAKI MAORI

In order to portray their culture to the international visitors & fellow New Zealanders, two brothersMike and Doug Tamaki decided to set up a company whose primary objective was to tell the Maori tale so that the world had a better understanding of who Maori were as people.

But the journey of the dream that they set out with was not a bed of roses. With zero finances & banks that were reluctant to back them, Mike convinced Doug in 1989, to sell his prized possession- a Harley Davidson motorcycle for a deposit on a 16-seat minibus in order to get their business underway.

Today the brothers & their wives employ over 150 Maori staff in locations throughout New Zealand. And visitors get a chance of experiencing Maori culture in an authentic setup.

 

The Maori tale is one of survival, compromise, tenacity & adaptability

 

BEGINNING THE JOURNEY AND MEETING OUR DRIVER CUM GUIDE – TALENT OF A KIND

We left from the Holiday Inn hotel to the Tamaki Maori Village in the evening at around sunset time. The tour was part of our customized New Zealand itinerary. So if you plan to do the tour separately, you can ask your hotel reception to book it for you.

 

Beginning the "Experiencing Maori culture" experience by hopping on the Tamaki Maori coach

 

Our driver cum guide for the tour had a name which was difficult to memorize. The name sounded like a heady cocktail of all the 26 English alphabets.

However, what I do remember was his unbelievable language skills. The man was a proud Maori himself and knew almost all the languages in the world (not even exaggerating). He greeted us with a Kia Ora. 

He explained to us that it was the traditional New Zealand way of saying “Hi or welcome”.

Then he spoke to me in Hindi – an Indian language saying “Namaste (hello/welcome), Main jata hoon (I’ll go now), Kaise ho? (How are you?) & Shukriya (Thank you)” & subsequently went on picking people up from hotels en route to the Tamaki Maori village and greeting all of them in their own language!

I literally counted the number of languages he greeted people in. He’d said the Kia Ora greeting in 59 languages leaving all the tourists in the bus astonished. And he did all this, looking at each person in the rear-view mirror while driving the coach (no one died).

He seemed a complete pro at his job and even sung songs and cracked funny one-liners mainly taking a dig at the Aussies in the group with reference to their Rugby team & how the New Zealand Rugby team was better at the sport. (Trans-Tasman rivalry).

 

RULES AND PROTOCOLS YOU NEED TO KNOW

The Maori arriving on a boat giving the "Karanga" (Welcome Call)

 

Enroute to the “Tamaki Maori Village“, he instructed us on the rules & protocols of entering a Marae.

When entering these sacred places, it’s customary for the welcoming tribe (the Maori) to send out a challenge of peace.

The Maori warrior will go through movements & recite chants until the peace offering is placed in front of the visiting tribe (here, the tourists ie. Us). The visiting tribe must have a “Chief” to accept the peace offering.

Since it was our guide’s job to select a chief from among us, he selected one from our tourist group. Representation of the visiting tribe is considered as an honourable task in Maori’dom.

On arrival at the venue, we were not supposed to enter the fortified village until the “Powhiri” (welcome dance) had been performed by the Maori. As our guide had informed us, it was the time for the host tribe to send out a challenge of peace which they did, and did it in style as we stood in a courtyard.

 

COMING FACE TO FACE WITH THE MAORI

You know the feeling when you hear so much about someone that you get restless in anticipation of meeting them. Our anticipation was met with a Maori-style heroic entry.

A war like horn sound signalled the arrival of the Maori group. The group then arrived on a boat, paddling their way onto the courtyard giving the “Karanga” (welcome call ).

The scene seemed straight out of a Hollywood film. Then the warriors came & did some intimidatory gestures, displaying certain movements with a spear-like weapon, until the peace offering was placed & received by the visiting chief of our group.

We stood behind our chief & observed the Maori group during the entire ceremony like obedient students. The Maori dudes were tattooed, pierced & huge and we were glad we weren’t fighting them for survival because I am sure we’d need quite a bit of work with our spear handling skills.

Just a tip – Certain movements & gestures of the warriors with their tongues out can appear funny but try, out of respect for the Maori culture, not laughing, smiling or poking fun by sticking your tongue out.

 

PARTICIPATING IN THE TRADITIONAL MAORI ACTIVITIES – FUN AND GAMES

A Maori gentleman telling us about their recreational activities

 

After the Powhiri welcome, we entered the village grounds. There the “Tangata Whenua” or “people of the land” demonstrated different activities they indulged in for recreation.

Activities like poi twirling, hand games, weaponry displays, and even the traditional Haka dance were demonstrated.

Haka dance is a dance that the National Rugby Team of New Zealand performs before it’s international matches. Infact, post the demonstration we too were asked to participate. It was fun seeing my parents play traditional Maori games & to be honest they were pretty good at it.

As for me, after not entangling myself successfully while poi twirling (It is like some flowing poetry to look at when done smoothly), and doing a pretty good job at the Haka Dance with my dad & the other men in the group ( the laughter of the females notwithstanding), we entered the Maori meeting house also known as the “Wharenui“.

 

GETTING A GLIMPSE OF THE MAORI CULTURE THROUGH A CULTURAL PERFORMANCE

 

The building – we were said, represented an ancestor from their past. We were told about their customs like women not being seated in the front row because if fighting were to occur between the Maori & the visitors (which I would not volunteer to be a part of), the men would be the protectors.

The Maori men made the “Whaikorero” (welcome speeches) & then the “Hongi” (pressing of noses) was performed by them and our chief – thus sealing the bond of friendship between the two cultures. From there the cultural group took over & through their traditional song and dance told us stories of a proud race – Te Maori.

I couldn’t understand the language but thoroughly enjoyed experiencing Maori culture through their performance. The ladies were graceful and elegance personified & the men, for their bulked up physiques, were surprisingly flexible & expressive.

At the end of the performance the whole concert hall echoed with applause. We were then jokingly told that the Maori wanted to feed us instead of feasting on us. They had a humourous take on everything and I liked that about them.

 

PREPARATION FOR THE “HANGI” DINNER

The rocks being heated as part of the traditional Hangi method of cooking

 

It was time for dinner. The traditional Hangi (feast) , which we were told had been under the earth on hot rocks for three hours. It was the age old traditional cooking method of the Maori. The rocks are heated to a white hot state with some native timber.

They are then put into a pit dug in the earth. The baskets of meat are then put directly on the hot stones, followed by vegetable baskets & the pudding basket on top of that.

A wet cloth is placed over the food. Earth mud is then piled quickly over everything to keep the heat inside the earth oven.

Since we were vegetarians & had requested in advance for a vegetarian meal, they catered to our request by collecting our vegetarian food coupons (you’ll be provided a coupon post boarding the Tamaki Maori coach).

Just a tip: Remember to collect your vegetarian food coupon & let them know your food preference in advance. They can, therefore, prepare accordingly because they assume you’re a non-vegetarian if you don’t specify you’re vegetarian.

 

DINNER AND THE CLOSING CEREMONY

The dining area where we travellers we served a lavish buffet

Photo courtesy tamakimaorivillage.co.nz

 

All of us walked to the “Wharekai” (food house) where the Maori blessed the food with a prayer. A prayer they call “Karakia“. Our meal was a buffet-style dinner.

The dinner was organised smoothly considering the crowd of people that were present (there were other tour groups as well). It wasn’t long before everyone was enjoying the succulent Hangi feast.

A couple of people had their birthdays that very day. Therefore, the Maori leader as a kind gesture sang a song wishing them, with all of us joining in.

The evening ended with an official closing ceremony called the “Poroporoaki” comprising songs & speeches before we got on to the coach & were safely transferred back to our hotel.

 

MY EXPERIENCE AT THE MAORI VILLAGE

I felt so much more connected to the country after getting up close and personal with the authentic Maori people. I absolutely loved & cherished my time at the village.

The thing they had in common with us Indians was the pride they took in their history. Pride in the principle of their guests being close to god.

 

The Tribal Market area in the Maori village

Photo courtesy tamakimaorivillage.co.nz

 

Some Maori people I met there and had a conversation with personally, were really approachable, friendly and practical. They were moving along with the times.

They were making the necessary adjustments & progressing in every field in the New Zealand society but not forgetting their roots. That was very important. Problems were plenty but they took it up as a challenge to move forward as a group.

It’s that streak of unity, optimism, pride, deep-rootedness and courage which I took home with me. Experiencing Maori culture truly made it a night to remember!

That was my experience with this magnificent tribe from New Zealand. It truly was educative yet entertaining.

SHARE the Blog “Experiencing Maori culture” with your friends, family, spouse, boyfriends, girlfriends, travel buddies to plan your authentic Maori day trip. That way it helps my Blog grow as well!

Also, PIN it for future travel planning for New Zealand. KIA ORA!

 

Despite being deep-rooted Maori are approachable, friendly and practical

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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40 comments

Elliot September 17, 2018 - 2:41 pm

Oh wow. Whenever I think of New Zealand, I also associate it with picturesque mountains and valleys. It has always been one of my dreams to explore the country. I have never heard of the Maori before, though. Thanks for spreading the word and for giving me another idea to add to my itinerary.

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WanderlustBeautyDreams September 17, 2018 - 5:25 pm

What an informative post and very interesting info on the indigenous tribe. I don’t know much about New Zealand and it’s tribes. Loved reading this post!

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Jeroen De Coninck September 17, 2018 - 5:32 pm

Love the pictures & the videos on the blog you have posted. They made it so much more interesting and full of life!

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jasmin closson September 17, 2018 - 5:39 pm

Thanks for taking time to write this! Maori indeed seem to be an intriguing tribe with a vibrant culture. Interesting read!

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Abril www.parisandjune.com September 17, 2018 - 6:07 pm

Wow! What an amazing experience. I didn’t know about the Maori tribe; I learned a lot. Thanks for sharing.

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Ntensibe Edgar Michael September 18, 2018 - 8:46 am

Wow….I’ve always heard about the Maori but had never come this close to knowing something deeper about them.

Thanks Vai, for sharing.

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Tamieka S September 18, 2018 - 11:19 am

You have beautiful imagery. This looks like a beautiful experience.

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Nessa September 18, 2018 - 4:03 pm

Waow !! Thank you for sharing. This is amazing, liked their heroic entry on a boat and the cultural performance as well !! Loved to read this and the pictures !!

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Serena Millet September 18, 2018 - 4:14 pm

I love when tour guides put in that extra effort, it really makes the experience start off great and memorable. I love learning about other cultures shop in Hong to have to check this out when I visit New Zealand

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GiGi Eats September 18, 2018 - 5:20 pm

There are so many cultures in this world I know nothing about so I appreciate the insight on the Maori!

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Erica September 19, 2018 - 11:55 am

The reason why I am in love with reading travel blogs, so I could know more about other culture! thanks! now i have an added knowledge about New Zealand and the MAORI!

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The Beauty flicks September 19, 2018 - 12:31 pm

Very interesting post… You gave great knowledge about Maori tribe. I did not even know about this tribe… Thanks for sharing.

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Heather Barber McMechan September 19, 2018 - 9:49 pm

Looks like this place is full of culture. I love that about traveling — you get to know a different side of the world and how they live.

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Holly Hood September 19, 2018 - 9:52 pm

This is some informative stuff about New Zealand. I have learned so much about the people and tribes from this post.

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Heather September 20, 2018 - 12:11 am

I would love to go to New Zealand one day. The pictures just make me want to go even more.

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Oana Durican September 20, 2018 - 7:45 pm

Exotic places are a huge attraction to me, so, why not visit New Zealand to see the maori some day?

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Kiwi September 21, 2018 - 12:59 am

I didnt know New Zealand had this Maori tribe. I love their culture thanks for sharing!

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Sidra September 21, 2018 - 1:25 pm

Reading your post made me want to visit New Zealand and actually experience the ethnic tribe’s way of living. They seem an interesting mix of tradition and modernity!

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Kathleen September 21, 2018 - 3:05 pm

OMG! That is an amazing experience! I was hoping to visit New Zealand soon as I missed it when we went to Australia.

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Scott Gombar October 2, 2018 - 1:11 pm

My 8-year-old son has been asking us for over a year now to visit New Zealand. It would be quite the journey for us but now I think I see why he wants to visit.

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Vaibhav Mehta October 3, 2018 - 5:28 pm

Make him read my blogs. I’m sure New Zealand won’t be the only place he’ll ask you for a holiday to!

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London Mumma October 2, 2018 - 2:09 pm

I love learning about others culture, it is great to understand where people came from. Their struggle from being new inhabitants to now a native tribe is inspiring.

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Silvia October 2, 2018 - 5:38 pm

What a great experience! I have never been in New Zealand but looking at your experience and their friendliness and welcoming nature, it is on my list.

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Amber Myers October 2, 2018 - 7:39 pm

This is the coolest! I really need to get to New Zealand. It would be a trip of a lifetime, that’s for sure.

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Monidipa Dutta October 2, 2018 - 9:02 pm

Wow, this must have been an amazing experience. Very informative and enlightening to say the least. I have never heard about Maori tribe, they have a very vibrant culture and some cool humour to go with it.

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Latte Lindsay October 2, 2018 - 10:33 pm

This looks like an amazing trip! You are so lucky to have experienced another culture up close like this 🙂

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Gladys Nava October 3, 2018 - 1:04 am

Stunning photos! When I ‘m reading your article it feels me like I am there also. It really looks amazing to experience this. Love it! ♥

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Shannon October 3, 2018 - 1:12 am

Love learning about different cultures! Maori sure seemed to be a friendly race and most importantly flexible with the times. Great post!

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Sarah Fatima October 3, 2018 - 7:35 am

This is so interesting and informative post. It always a good experience to know more about other countries culture. I must say Maori tribe is really interesting. Thanks for sharing.

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Joan Cajic October 3, 2018 - 8:48 am

Okay so New Zealand is definitely on my bucket list now, always just thought of mountains and clear views but this is even better.

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Maartje van Sandwijk October 3, 2018 - 9:04 am

What an amazing experience! Didn’t know you could do things like this…

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Casey October 3, 2018 - 2:04 pm

I have heard so much about this place, my friend went there last year and had an unforgettable experience with the Tamaki Maori culture. Def. worth a place on the bucket list

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Hannah Marie October 3, 2018 - 3:07 pm

Wow, they have a great culture and unique way of living. I love learning about ethnic groups of different nationalities.

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Erica Katsanis October 3, 2018 - 5:34 pm

This was an interesting read. I never knew there was a tribe in New Zealand. And dating back to 1250! Not to mention it grew to be the 2nd largest ethnic group. Very cool!

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Brittany October 4, 2018 - 4:28 am

This looks like such an amazing experience. Your pictures are so RAD. I’ve always wanted to visit New Zealand.

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Jack Marbida October 5, 2018 - 1:26 am

A very nice way of engaging people like this in a form of performing art. So cool to watch plus its like reenactment of their tribes.

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Heidi October 5, 2018 - 5:42 am

I would love to visit Moari Connect! It is so cool to experience a culture first hand. What a great experience!

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ohmummymia October 5, 2018 - 8:26 pm

wow it looks amazing. New Zealand is on my bucket list so hopefully one day 😉

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stacey October 11, 2018 - 1:43 am

I love this. Getting to know different cultures– on a deeper level is the reason I love traveling.

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Te Puia Geothermal Reserve - Geothermal Rotorua | Te Puia guided Tour December 28, 2018 - 3:10 am

[…] you go, you’re greeted with a smile & a “Kia Ora” – NZ  way of wishing good […]

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