The Tamaki Maori Village

On Tuesday the 16th of October, we were invited by the Tamaki Maori Village to visit the Maori Village in order to learn more about the Maori culture and its history.

We started our visit at the Tamaki office which is located in the city centre of Rotorua. Our experience started from here as we got into the bus, better known as a waka in Maori language, which is a form of transport. Our bus driver was called “JR” and during the trip to the village, he told us more about the existence of the Tamaki village and he taught us some Maori words.

Furthermore we had to choose a chief who was going to represent our tribe in the village. Our tribe was called “Kiwi”. According to JR, the chief had to be as tall, as strong and as handsome as himself in order to be a good chief. Eventually, Josh could find himself in this profile and he volunteered as chief of the kiwi tribe.

When we arrived at the Maori Village, the Powhiri started which is an opening ceremony to see if a tribe comes in peace. Until the Teka, the peace offering, has taken place by the warriors from the Maori tribe, none of the other tribes are allowed inside the village.

After the Teka took place, all tribes entered the village. Inside the village, there were five houses and each of them represented a different part of the Maori culture. All five aspects were very interesting as it showed us the Maori culture from different angles. Afterwards, all tribes came together and we got to know how the Maori people cook their food. Hangi is a traditional method of cooking, meals are prepared on heated rocks buried on a pit oven. The food looked amazing and was ready to be served however, we first got to enjoy some entertainment. All Maori’s performed in different songs and the traditional Haka on stage.

After their performance, we continued our way to the dining room where dinner was served. The food was absolutely delicious, including the dessert. Before heading back to the waka, we enjoyed listening to more Maori songs in the restaurant. Our bus driver JR brought us back to the Tamaki office. Big compliments to JR as he was very entertaining! We had a good laugh on our way back to the office!

Overall the Tamaki Maori Village is an amazing night out in which you get the opportunity to learn more about the Maori culture. If you want to experience the Maori culture, it is highly recommended to visit the Tamaki Maori Village in Rotorua!

Take a look at their website for more information: www.tamakimaorivillage.co.nz