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Maori Culture
Maori Culture
History
The ancestors of the Mori were a Polynesian people originating from south-east Asia. The first Polynesians settled mainly around the coast of New Zealand, and especially the east coast.
The name "Mori" originally meant "the local people", or "the original people". As opposed to the new arrivals - white European settlers - the "pakeha".
Powhiri (Welcoming)
Mori welcoming ceremony involving speeches, dancing, singing and finally the hongi.
Hongi
Karanga
The karanga is an exchange of calls that takes place during the time a visiting group moves onto the marae or into the formal meeting area.
Waiata - Song Waiata or songs and chants are an important part of Mori culture. The words and expressions preserve the wisdom and knowledge of ancestors.