Dressed up in our tribal outfits!

Cultural stop + white water rafting!

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January 11th 2009
Hey!! We then drove to Maketu which was our cultural stop…it was amaaaazing!! We stayed with a local Mauri (indigenous people of New Zeland!) so had to learn the Mauri greeting on the way there so we could greet them properly, then had a Hangi meal and went in to the meeting house (marae) - in which no shoes, food or drink are allowed! The oldest guy in our group, Matt, was the chief and had to ... read more

Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Rotorua

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The Polynesian Maori reached New Zealand in about A.D. 800. In 1840, their chieftains entered into a compact with Britain, the Treaty of Waitangi, in which they ceded sovereignty to Queen Victoria while retaining territorial rights. In that same year... ... read more