Maketu, Maori Cultural Experience

We arrived at 'Uncle Boys Place' in Maketu for a Traditional Maori Cultural Experience.

On our arrival we were welcomed in pouhiri. We were also met by a warrior who gave us a wero (challenge). He used a taiaha (quarter staff) to issue the challenge showing us his warrior skills. A baton is then placed on the ground for the chief (Donatello) of the visiting tribe to pick up. After our chief accepts the friendship a waiata (song) follows.

The hosts then invite us to hariru (shake hands) and hongi (pressing forehead and nose together firmly and saying kia ora).

Visitors and hosts now become united and we share a hangi meal.

Once we were watered and fed the guys all headed off to learn the 'haka' anf the girls some stupid swinging ball thing.

the Haka we were to learn was the well known 'Ka Mate' which is also performed by the All Blacks.

Ka Mate is credited to the cunning fighting chief Te Rauparaha. It celebrates his escape from death, chased by enemies, he hid himself in a food pit. After they had left, a friendly chief named Te Whareangi (the hairy man referred to in the haka), let him out, he climbed out into the sunshine and performed 'Ka Mate'

We were down to the boxers and wore traditional maori clothes. Tghe local young maori boys painted our faces in traditional war paint. When they realised one of the guys was German they drew a little Hitler moustache on him!

After practising the Haka several times we headed in to the marae (meeting house) led by our chief and performed the haka to the girls. It went surprisingly well and was great fun. The girls then performed the swingy ball thing which was actually quite funny.

The maori then performed some tyraditional song and dance.

We slept on mattresses on the floor of the marae. Was a cracking night.