Te Puia
We spent much of today at the Maori cultural centre, Te Puia. The centre is nestled among the geysers and mud pools of the Whakarewarewa thermal reserve that fills the air with steam and sulphurous scents. We were welcomed onto the Marae with a traditional Maori ceremony designed to ascertain whether our intentions were truly peaceful. Having determined that we were not there to start a fight, the group treated us to an excellent concert of traditional Maori singing, chants, games, and poi dances.
Our Maori hosts for the afternoon, Shane and Candy (both weavers), guided us around the centre and explained the history of the Maori in New Zealand and the underpinnings of their culture. Knowing that we were particularly interested in fibre arts, they focused on how the Maori developed their textiles and their use of the native flax plant that provides most of their fibre needs. So that we could get a personal appreciation for New Zealand flax, they taught us some basic flax weaving techniques in the process of making woven flowers.