Maori

The Maori are New Zealand's indigenous people, having settled here about 1,000 years ago. That makes New Zealand the last major land mass to be settled by humans. The Maori have assimilated well into Western culture, but have a strong grip on their cultural heritage.

Last night, I went to a cultural event that included presentations on Maori song and dance, weapons, tattoos, and ended in a hangi, or a meal steam-cooked in the ground. Very impressive and lots of fun.


Our meal is cooking



Traditional Maori canoe




I couldnt get lots of good photos because it was really dark, but lastly, here's a brief video of a haka that they performed. A haka is a Maori group dance.