Maori Music

Went on to Te Puia with its Hot mud pools plopping away like some modern symphony and to a wonderful Welcoming ceremony by a Maori group. We chose a 'chief 'from among us and were challenged by the hosts to determine whether we were friendly. Then the women welcomed us in by singing and when we had removed our shoes and seated ourselves they made the formal Maori speeches of welcome and then provided a wonderful traditional song and dance concert.
I was somewhat stupid about this not having realised that the Maoris are in fact polynesian and their music is very 'Hawian'. as well their carving and the colours of it remind me of our West Coast First Nations carvings.
they are very graceful in their movements and they accompany themselves with guitars.
as a people i found that they maintained their culture but have adapted and integrated really well into New Zealand colonial life although their history is of course interspersed with both tribal and intercultural wars. seems that we virtually decimated them at one point but they gave us a good run for our money in the 1860s or so.