Dancing Like a Maori
Comments (0) Because New Zealand was first settled by the British, it has a culture thick in English influence. But don’t forget that like America, there were people living on the islands way before the English settlers came to take over.
In New Zealand those people are called Maoris. These eastern Polynesians decendants first arrived on the islands about 700 to 2000 years ago, bringing with them a culture rich with tradition.
Watch below as a group of Maoris perform their traditional dance, Haka. The harsh chants, body slaps and over-exaggerated facial movements were tactics used to scare off enemies while proclaiming strength and unity.
(If you were a fan of MTV’s last season of The Duel, you may recognize the dance. It is the same performance given by the cast during the introduction of the show. All season long I’m sure you, like me, were wondering what they were doing. The show was filmed in New Zealand… now it makes perfect sense!)
It is no secret that New Zealand is home to a vast amount of beautiful and diverse topography. Staggering cliffs, rugged mountains, endless fiords and secluded beaches are among the many breathtaking sights scattered throughout the adventurous countryside. But there is also an often overlooked aspect of the Kiwi’s diverse geography… the natural, unique features formed by the country’s geothermal hotspots.
I apologize for the lack of updates to RaubiMarie.com in the past two weeks. Being out of the country, with limited Internet access has hindered my posting capabilities. But don’t worry, this trip is providing me all sorts of new topics. So please check back soon to catch up on everything you are missing.