Te Pā Tū

Decided to splurge and book a Māori Cultural Experience with a three course meal. Rotorua has a large Māori population and there are lots of these tours that take you to a Māori village, like it would have been in pre colonial times.

The bus picked us up in town and drove us out to Te Pā Tū, the village. There they greeted us, and there was a ritual to be invited into the village, as people who had never stepped foot on that land before. The chief came out and met a selected “chief” from our group, where a peace offering of a fern was made to be picked up by the right hand, signifying that we are not here to fight. It was mentioned multiple times not to laugh or grin during this, as it was considered disrespectful, but once that was done and we were invited into the village, it was much more relaxed haha.

They took us through the village, rotating different groups between stations, showing traditions Māori games and dances, and teaching a haka. They all referenced eachother as cousin and it was hard to tell how much of it was a reenactment or if they were actually related. But it turns out they are all actually members of that hapū (subtribe), and the chief who welcomed us is the actual chief’s son. (The actual chief couldn’t be there cause he was preparing for a bit nation-wide Māori games and arts competition happening the next day, and was representing his hapū).

After the rotations, we were welcomed into a hall where they performed a few songs and dances. And this performance was incredible, some of the most powerful singing I’ve witnessed, and really tight musicianship and choreography. And they were all having so much fun doing it, seemed very similar to the family-like feeling of working at The Fort back in Thunder Bay.

After the performance, was dinner. They showed us the ground out in which the root vegetables were cooked (albeit a bit different than historical versions due to health and food safety regulations)
I was sat at a table with other solo travellers, and the food was good but the fellow company at the table was not haha. I booked this with a discount online for ~CA$170, so it was a bunch of rich travellers, or that type haha. Lots of Americans. Two Germans at our table, as well as a guy from wales and a woman from India. But I felt so out of place haha, very different type of travel than these folks were doing. But the food was delicious and so much of it. Duck and lamb and melt in your mouth waygu beef. Some local root vegetables and mussels and lots of dessert.

After the dinner a guy who worked there took out a guitar and said he would sing a song from everyone’s country lol. When all the white people were singing take me home country roads, i definitely felt out of place hahahah. But there was a whole bus full of polish tourists and they all got up and sang the national polish anthem which was funny.

Overall a good experience and wonderful performance, but I kinda just wanted to hang out with the people working there, rather than the other tourists haha. Definitely not my usual vibe of travel, but good to experience it.Read more