Maori Welcoming

    This morning we went back to Linnley Park to finish weeding and prepare the site for planting with school children next week.  We only worker half a day because we went to the Marae for our welcoming ceremony.  When we got to the entrance of the gate we stopped and waited for a women in black to begin singing.  The men surround the women as we walk (this was done for protection).  The lady sung in Maori but she was is welcoming us, saying where her tribe is from and what their purpose is.  Traditionally, we would have a women singing as well.  We sit on benches across from the home tribe, the men sit in the front again.  Their highest ranking males present speaks, traditionally it would be their chief.  They sing to show support for their chief.  We elected a chief and he followed with a speech; part was in MAori part was English.  We sung a traditional Maori song as well.  The Maori are all very talented singers, we were terrible.  The welcoming tribe finished with a speech.  They stand in line and we walk greet each one.  You say "kiaora" which is an informal way of saying hello and touch noses.  We all went into the dinning room and had tea, coffee, and sandwiches.  They taught us two songs, one Maori and one English called "The Lord Loves Me," with hand motions.  In their songs the women lead and the men repeat the same line.  Their songs are very important to them because they have no written history so everything i passed down by song.  We then went into the Whawanui, which is similar to a church mixed with a community center.  They explained everything they has said during the welcoming ceremony.  The walls and ceilings are completely decorated (I will post pictures asap) and they explained the meanings of it all.  SOme carvings are of their ancestors, other represent genealogy.  He also told us about a couple recent funerals.  Maori travel to other tribes when they are holding funerals.  In the past they would sometimes wait months to hold a funeral because people had to travel across New Zealand without cars.  After someone dies their immediate family goes into mourning for a year.  Maori people are beginning to learn more about their cultures and there is currently a revival of learning Maori in schools.  People are also getting traditional Maori tatoos again.  The people are more modern than I expected and very laid back and welcoming.