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Tamaki Maori Village, located on the periphery of Rotorua, is a great place to experience Māori culture and cuisines, in their truest form. It is made possible through an array of traditional ceremonies and performances that showcase Maori culture’ best and is followed by a refreshing treat in the form of the authentic hangi dinner. However, the major highlight comes at the end of the evening when one gets a full-fledged tour of the Tamaki Māori Village.
Maori Culture: The experience starts with a powhiri –which is a formal welcome ceremony. A fearsome challenge will be issued by the warriors of the tribes followed by the exchanging of a peace offering; after this the visitors are greeted and taken to the meeting house area with songs and dance. Here the culturally significant – haka war dance and the impressive poi dancing are demonstrated with the soul-stirring traditional symphonies.
Maori Food- Hangi: Next comes the Māori hangi meal which you can see being lifted from the earth before it is served! The food is steamed underground on hot stones. The tribal people also convey the history of the hangi and explain how the dinner was prepared and cooked. However it is said that one should start the meal with Māori rewana bread before savoring the hangi and its succulent meats and vegetables heady with their smoky earth-cooked flavors. This three serving’s buffet also offers salads and seafood plus an array of authentic Kiwi desserts.
Other Highlights: One gets a hand on experience on how the art pieces were created in the pre-European Maori; gets the chance to get acquainted with the stories of ancient ancestors, the traditional weaponry and the tattooing- which can also be seen in action.