Māori Culture
Our Māori Culture Experiences
From Mihi Whakatau and Haka Neirini to a Maori tourist workshop—our immersion in Maori culture
Our experience begins with a Mihi Whakatau at Nayland College. This is a warm and respectful welcome that invites us into the circle of the Māori community at school and establishes connection, respect, and shared purpose. We learnt why the Maori touch their noses it is called sharing the breath of life.
Mihi Whakatau
Māori tourism Workshop
Our journey continues with a Māori tourism workshop.
This is a class for high school students to learn and share Māori traditions, stories, and values. In doing so, they develop important skills and become guardians of cultural knowledge for future generations. At the same time, we learn about key elements of Māori culture.
For us - as international exchange students - they created a special programme.
Haka Neirana
We also learnt a powerful Haka-Neirana performed as a challenge that strengthens unity, identity, and collective pride.
You might know the famous Haka performance of the All Blacks Rugby Team.
We were very happy and grateful to experience Māori culture together with a Māori guide who taught us about the meaning of the waka. He explained that waka are traditional Māori boats and an important symbol of identity, ancestry, and community. Through his stories, we learned how Māori ancestors once traveled across the ocean from Hawaiki to Aotearoa in these waka. We also discovered that a waka is considered a precious treasure with spiritual meaning and special rituals. Learning this directly from a Māori person made the experience unforgettable and truly meaningful for us.
Waka-Boat
The Māori business concept is deeply sustainable because it is based on responsibility to past, present, and future generations. While Western business plans often focus on short-term profit and quarterly results, Māori enterprises are designed with a long-term view — sometimes thinking 100 or even 500 years ahead.
Learn more about the Māori Business Concepts:
https://seniorsecondary.tki.org.nz/Social-sciences/Business-studies/Maori-business/Culture-and-values
Māori Business Concepts
#1
Pūtake
means the origin or reason for being.
#2
Tūranga
Māori often use common legal structures but are often based on collectively owned assets.
#3
Tikanga
Many Māori businesses are guided by strong values and aim for more than just profit for owners or shareholders.
#4
Kaitiakitanga
means caring for and protecting resources sustainably for future generations rather than short-term profit.
#5
Rangatiratanga refers to responsible leadership and strategic management of resources for present and future needs and problemsolving and peace making.