We mentioned earlier that Rotorua has an incredible amount of geothermal activity and the year-round warmth attracted Maori tribes upon their discovery of New Zealand. There is still a strong Maori presence, which have encouraged numerous “Maori Experience” programs designed to help understand the culture, legends, and people. They also include a hangi – a traditional Maori meal, which is baked in an underground oven.
The Maori experience started in the evening and we both had the day off work, so we drove 2hrs north to the Bay of Plenty to the hot and sunny beaches of Tauranga and Mt. Maunganui (aka The Mount). Tauranga is on the verge of breaking into the top 4 or 5 cities for population, so while it only has about 115,000 people the traffic was chaotic and stressful compared to the leisurely pace in Taupo. I was pretty tense until we arrived at the beautiful beaches of Mt. Maunganui. Tauranga and The Mount are like a micro version of the DFW metroplex – they are about 4 miles apart and eventually merged into one metropolitan area.
The Mount gets its name from the extinct volcano, which abruptly shoots up from the beach and provides a wonderful vantage point for looking over the Bay and landscape beyond. Before hiking to the top, Rachel and I grabbed some lunch at a beachfront café. The sand was white and the break made for a perfect surfing day. (We hope to get a day of surfing in when traveling back to Auckland next February.)
After a 45 min hike to the top, we had some pretty outstanding views of the beaches below, islands in the bay, and the deep green forests inland..JPG)
After descending from the Mount, we hopped in the car and drove an hour south to Rotorua for our evening of fun and learning.
We were welcomed to the marae (a Maori tribe meeting ground) by the sound of distant beating drums hidden somewhere in the native bush. We walked into the main tent where our hosts seated us and we were told what to expect throughout the evening.
After introductions, they led us down to the stream where the iwi’s (tribe) warriors arrived in the ornately carved wooden canoe. Their faces were focused and brutal with their hard-earned and unique moko. (A moko is a facial tattoo which has several meaningful depictions overlaid and it shows your status within the tribe) Rachel and I have seen several people in public with moko; it is quite startling and it is no wonder the European settlers were afraid of the Maori men…and women. I’m not sure of the actual meaning, but the women’s moko resembles blood dripping from their mouth.
The Maori experience started in the evening and we both had the day off work, so we drove 2hrs north to the Bay of Plenty to the hot and sunny beaches of Tauranga and Mt. Maunganui (aka The Mount). Tauranga is on the verge of breaking into the top 4 or 5 cities for population, so while it only has about 115,000 people the traffic was chaotic and stressful compared to the leisurely pace in Taupo. I was pretty tense until we arrived at the beautiful beaches of Mt. Maunganui. Tauranga and The Mount are like a micro version of the DFW metroplex – they are about 4 miles apart and eventually merged into one metropolitan area.
The Mount gets its name from the extinct volcano, which abruptly shoots up from the beach and provides a wonderful vantage point for looking over the Bay and landscape beyond. Before hiking to the top, Rachel and I grabbed some lunch at a beachfront café. The sand was white and the break made for a perfect surfing day. (We hope to get a day of surfing in when traveling back to Auckland next February.)
After a 45 min hike to the top, we had some pretty outstanding views of the beaches below, islands in the bay, and the deep green forests inland.
.JPG)
After descending from the Mount, we hopped in the car and drove an hour south to Rotorua for our evening of fun and learning.
We were welcomed to the marae (a Maori tribe meeting ground) by the sound of distant beating drums hidden somewhere in the native bush. We walked into the main tent where our hosts seated us and we were told what to expect throughout the evening.
After introductions, they led us down to the stream where the iwi’s (tribe) warriors arrived in the ornately carved wooden canoe. Their faces were focused and brutal with their hard-earned and unique moko. (A moko is a facial tattoo which has several meaningful depictions overlaid and it shows your status within the tribe) Rachel and I have seen several people in public with moko; it is quite startling and it is no wonder the European settlers were afraid of the Maori men…and women. I’m not sure of the actual meaning, but the women’s moko resembles blood dripping from their mouth.
After the warriors landed their canoe and ran off, we headed to an outdoor theater, which was set up as a tiny marae with all the huts and buildings of a village. They showed us the traditional welcome, which was seen on the latest series of The Amazing Race when they visited NZ. The hongi, a touching of the noses creates a spiritual and physical bond.
The group performed several songs and traditional dances in between discussing the history of their people. They showed us arts and crafts and how the flax plant played an integral role in making things from ropes to clothing to fishing nets and hunting devices.
One of the most talked about and exciting parts of the night was the performance of the haka, or the Maori war dance. ('ha' means 'breath'; 'ka' means 'on fire') It is extremely passionate and therefore extremely frightening, especially if you were about to engage them in battle. The national rugby team, the All Blacks perform the haka before every competition as well, which undoubtedly leaves the opposing team more than a little unnerved. The most common haka translates to:
One of the most talked about and exciting parts of the night was the performance of the haka, or the Maori war dance. ('ha' means 'breath'; 'ka' means 'on fire') It is extremely passionate and therefore extremely frightening, especially if you were about to engage them in battle. The national rugby team, the All Blacks perform the haka before every competition as well, which undoubtedly leaves the opposing team more than a little unnerved. The most common haka translates to:
It is death! It is death!
It is life! It is life!
This is the hairy man who caused the sun to shine
Keep abreast!
The rank! Hold Fast!
Into the sun that shines!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BoNmpvkavo
It is life! It is life!
This is the hairy man who caused the sun to shine
Keep abreast!
The rank! Hold Fast!
Into the sun that shines!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BoNmpvkavo
The All Blacks haka: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3o0pv6k37yE
The next part of the evening was the hangi. We walked by it earlier in the evening and caught the aroma of the chicken, pork, lamb, potatoes, and kumaras (NZ sweet potatoes) cooking in the natural underground oven. The meal included many more sides and treats, but the traditional hangi usually consists of the aforementioned items.
Once we’d finished eating, they took on a nighttime walk through the native bush. Our guide told more Maori legends and history from the area. One of the most fascinating parts of the walk was his lesson on NZ ferns. The national emblem for NZ is the silver fern, but there are over 150 different species of fern in NZ. He flashed his light up to the underside of the silver fern and it shone brightly back. He explained that his people actually used upside silver fern leaves to light their path on night excursion. (Rachel and I tried it a few weeks ago at night and were surprised at how well it works.)
Afterwards, we thanked our hosts and bid farewell to the sulphuric smells of Rotorua and headed home to Taupo.
Once we’d finished eating, they took on a nighttime walk through the native bush. Our guide told more Maori legends and history from the area. One of the most fascinating parts of the walk was his lesson on NZ ferns. The national emblem for NZ is the silver fern, but there are over 150 different species of fern in NZ. He flashed his light up to the underside of the silver fern and it shone brightly back. He explained that his people actually used upside silver fern leaves to light their path on night excursion. (Rachel and I tried it a few weeks ago at night and were surprised at how well it works.)
Afterwards, we thanked our hosts and bid farewell to the sulphuric smells of Rotorua and headed home to Taupo.
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