Our week of intercultural immersion in New Zealand began with a traditional powhiri, the Maori word for welcoming ceremony. We were called on to the Marae with a sound of a single female voice and Kawharu, a prominent man in the Raglan community, recited his whakapapa, or family history, for us. The ceremony continued with the exchange of songs, and finally, the much anticipated Hongi, or the Maori greeting practice of touching faces while matching foreheads and noses and breathing in the same air. The rest of the day was spent getting to know the local Maori teenagers who would be hanging out with us and preparing a large dinner.
The next morning we woke up early to hike up Mount Karioi, a significant spiritual mountain for the local Maori people. The hike took most of the day and included bushwhacking, rock scrambling, and a focus on cleansing our minds with the wind at the summit, as the Maori people do. We were also invited to a special spot on the coast where we collected seafood with our bare hands and learned the importance of only taking as much as we need and of honoring that which we use.
We were given the opportunity to learn more about culturally significant art forms such as weaving, carving, and drawing. Our group was welcomed into the home of a skilled weaver who taught us how to cut, prepare, and work with the flax leaves. We each left with a deeper insight into the skill and a small woven fish in our pocket. We also had another chance to meet with Kawharu, who taught us about the deeper meanings behind Maori carvings. We had an opportunity to observe the intricacies of his work and a chance to draw our own designs.
Nights were filled with discussions about Maori culture, tradition, masculine and feminine energies, and the role of nature. We also learned songs and dances from community members who quickly grew to be friends.
Our group also had the the privilege to meet Rick and Liz, influential community members in Raglan. They run a large farm based on the principles of permaculture as well as manage Xtreme Zero Waste, the town’s garbage and recycling center. The center diverts 75% of waste from the landfill, a huge feat considering when they started a landfill was all that they had. After a week of experiences reminding us of the importance of living with nature, many of us have been inspired to incorporate these values into our daily lives.
Taylor and Anna