6. Hangi Out With the Maoris
The indigenous culture of New Zealand is strong and proud, and one of the best ways to immerse yourself in it is through a Maori haka performance and traditional hangi feast. First, you’ll be greeted with a hongi, a traditional nose touch that welcomes you as a friend. The meal is steam-cooked over hot stones in an earth-oven dug into the ground, which gives the meats, vegetables and herbs a distinctive succulence and smoky twang. The traditional foot-stomping, chest-beating, tongue-wagging song, dance and war cry is presented by tatooed performers. The Rotarua area has several opportunities to enjoy a Maori cultural experience which will give you a deeper understanding of the land they call Aotearoa, Land of the Long White Cloud.
Maori Warrior
