Uncle Boys Maori Night

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[youtube=MSILv6oy5D0][youtube=DFpHSSPb0tE][youtube=hmoU8iTZXVQ][youtube=R_x7Ye1V6lA]

After the caving adventure we stopped for some lunch and then to an Angora Bunny place. We got to watch a poor little bunny get all his fur sheared off. These bunnies have so much fur that they would over heat and die if they don't get sheared regularly. Because their skin is wrinkled underneath all the fur the bunny has to stretched out and has his paws tied up and he can then be rotated and sheared all over. It was quite funny to see but you feel bad for it but they actually like it.

Their fur is soooo soft and nice. Was tempted to but a scarf but I didn't. We then drove to Uncle Boy's place in Maketu. It's a small Maori village they have set up. We got there quite late and yes....it was still raining. o we went straight in to eat dinner. We were cooked a traditional hangi meal which like most polynesian cultures cook the food in an oven in the ground. We ate lamb, chicken, stuffing, pumpkin, salad and potatoes. We got some Pavlova for dessert which made me happy haha.

After dinner they put on a maori concert for us. We had to choose a chief (the oldest guy) and we all stood at one end of the marae (meeting house) with our chief out front and then a warrior from the tribe does his scary entrance and puts a leaf down on the ground. If our chief picks up the leaf we are welcomed. If he doesn't we get attacked haha. Then we all had to do the traditional maori greeting with everyone which means I had to touch noses with about 50 people. Haha, it's kind of awkward but neat to experience.

The group performed a few traditional maori songs for us. Then they boys got to go learn how to do the haka and us girls learnt how to do the poi dance and and an action dance. The girls then performed for the guys and the guys performed for us. It was hilarious.

So we all got to spend the night in the marae on mattresses on the floor. Our group was really big so we took up the whole room. The one guy in our group is quite a big fellow and he was snoring like crazy in the morning but he would also stop breathing and then make all kinds of noises. It was actually scary, he sounded like he was dying but he was just sleeping. Needless to say it was a horrible nights sleep!!

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Comments

[Daddio]

Poor Bunny
Sounds like a great day at Uncle Boy-- except for the night. I was hoping the video was of you doing the dance. Will see it when you get home.

[Laurene]

I have a video of it but I will be putting it up on you tube as it's easier to show everyone. Will let you know when I do it.