We headed to the Rotorua Museum of Art and History, which is set in the Bath House within the Goverment Gardens. The building was originally a spa in 1908. We saw the old showers and bathrooms where treatments were given and then headed down to the basement to see the piping system and resident ghost! The exhibtions on the Arawa people, the WWII 28 Maori Battalion and on the Mt Tarawera eruption were really good! The art gallery was a bit 'out-there' for our liking but we did get to make a silhouette picture to put on the wall. We made a campervan (with us inside), a snowcapped mountain, an eagle and a 'beware of the Kiwi' sign. The other pictures were all by children aged 5-10 years, so we think ours added a little maturity to the gallery!

That night we went to the Tamaki Maori village. We were picked up in our Waka (which is usually a canoe, but it was our coach for the night), with our driver Ngata. We had to 'row' to the Tamaki village, set in the forest, and on the way we had to select a chief to represent our tribe, Chief Paul, for the Powhiri (welcome ceremony). No-one could enter the village until the ceremony was performed. Three warriors were sent out to challenge the Manuhiri (the guests - us), they were wielding Taiaha (spears) and did a scary dance including lots of eye bulging, shouting and sticking tongues out! The warrior made a Teka (peace offering) by laying a branch on the floor, which was then accepted by our chief. Then a woman from the Maori tribe called for us to enter the village. We had a look around the village, which has been reconstructed to show how the Maori would have lived before the Europeans arrived. We saw basket weaving, games, music, cooking and weapon demonstrations and of course, the Haka! We were then called to the Wharenui (meeting house) where there was a Whaikareo (welcome speech) a waiata (songs) and haka (dances). Then it was the time for the Hangi! Hangi is cooked in an earthern oven. The food is placed on hot rocks; meat closest to the rocks, then the veg, then the pudding, and re-covered with earth for 4 hours. It was bloody beautiful! We had lamb and chicken, kumara (Maori sweet potato), potatoes and vegetables followed by a steamed pudding and custard afterwards. Yummy! It was really succulent and had a smoky taste! Then we headed home in the waka, with our entertaining driver, who made us sing all the way home!