Many people who travel to New Zealand and the Cook Islands are interested in experiencing and learning about Maori culture, the customs and traditions of their indigenous people.
Compared to other native peoples around the world, the Maori have had a fairly short presence in their traditional homeland. Settlers from Eastern Polynesia landed in New Zealand in the late 13th century, which thereby became the last major landmass on Earth to be settled. In 1840 many Maori leaders signed the Treaty of Waitangi which formed the basis of the British claim to sovereignty over the island and has been the source of Maori land claims in the latter 20th century. The Maori language has had some influence on New Zealand English and is still spoken by some Maori and taught to children. Many place names in New Zealand continue to be in Maori, and even those who do not speak Maori usually know how to pronounce Maori words.
Watch a Haka performance – The Haka ceremonial dance is the most recognisable part of Maori culture worldwide, having been adopted by New Zealand's national rugby team the All Blacks and performed before the start of every international match. There are many types of haka. Not all of them are war dances and some can be performed by both men and women. There are even hakas for welcoming guests into the country.
Waka Rides. Waka are traditional double-hulled Maori canoes up to long that were used for fishing, travelling across bodies of water and in times of war. Sometimes temporary sails were attached to these boats. National parks, harbours and cultural villages across New Zealand offer the opportunity to go on waka cruises along the rivers and ocean. You can also learn how to paddle the waka. 2019-08-05