A Māori-Hawaiian -European Exchange

After a week of Hawaiian Lomilomi and Māori Romiromi training (traditional Polynesian healing bodywork) a group of 20 students from Germany, Poland, Holland , USA and Switzerland spent their last two days in Rotorua. On their personalised Native Tour we were able to give them a powhiri (Māori welcome) that was responded to with a Hawaiian chant followed by karakia (prayer ), mihiwhakatau (welcome speech) and hongi -connecting mauri of tangata whenua (host people of the land) and manuhiri (visitors ) . The calling of our ancient Polynesian sounds of welcome touched the souls of our European visitors as they were welcomed onto the Māori marae.

They would spend the next two nights sleeping as a family on mattresses on the floor of our ancestral meeting house . The group learnt about Māori history, culture and rongoa (native plant medicine) when Wikitoria ans Rawiri took them for a bush hikoi up our ancestral river. After some delicious kai at the local iconic cafe our visitors journeyed out to the local geothermal springs to have a magical experience bathing in warm healing mineral waters under a star lit sky-the milky way ! A great sleep followed that evening with the ancestors smiling down from the walls of the wharenui.

The next day after an early breakfast in the wharekai the bus took them to Taupo via the mud pools and Waiotapu geothermal park for some visual and sensory treats . After shopping , lunch at the lakefront and a visit to the majestic Huka Falls it was time to return to the marae where Wiki and Faith had been preparing a special farewell dinner – Native flavours were enjoyed that had been identified on the bush walk-kawakawa chicken, horopito vegetable frittatta, ika mata (marinated raw fish), green-lip mussels , salads and kiwifruit pavlova . This was followed by a korero (words of wisdom) with local elder Manu Neho of Waimarama International Healing and Education . A spontaneous hula and hongi followed to say a big mahalo (thankyou ) for the dinner and korero and manaakitanga(hospitality).

A warm cultural exchange occurred with our Hawaiian whanaunga and visitors from around the globe . They loved their two days in Rotorua so much they are planning to return in 2020 !