Hongi - the traditional Maori greeting of nose pressing.  It is the exchange of the ha (the breath of life), making the visitor at one with the tangata whenua (the people of the land).   (photo: Tamaki Maori Village, Rotorua)

Gooooooood morning GBD!  I dunno about y’all, but it was positively beeYOOteeful here in New York this weekend.  I was working the whole time, but whatever.  I still enjoyed it.

Anyway, Lindsey said Dez was really touched by the admiration y’all expressed in your comments last week.  That got her wondering, 

“Why do people feel they need so much guts to speak to a person?  They need to just do it!”

So this week, Dez has a challenge for you:  Speak to someone that you may have been afraid to speak to before.

I’m going to speak to Rick Astley and tell him how much it means to me that he’s never gonna give me up, never gonna let me down, never gonna run around, and desert me.

And here’s the continuation of Dez’s Maori quest!  She would’ve included pictures, but she wasn’t allowed to take pictures or write while she was with the Maori.  You’ll just have to use your imagination.  ;)

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There’s so much to tell about my journey with the Maori people that I feel as if I’m cheating you with what seems like a microscopic portion of a much larger story.

Emerging from the blur of jet travel as I arrive in the land called New Zealand, the island of the long white cloud, I experience a growing feeling of excitement.  Not surprising, for this amazing country is still a true mystery.  My main goal here is to learn about the history of the occupants before the white man, of when the kupe guided the seven canoes of the great fleet on their epic journey southwards to Aotearoa.  I’m in search of the women of the Maori people.  In my research, I found the Maori people developed a unique and complex social structure.  Tradition and history play an important role.  Since the Maori had no written language, they preserved their past through spoken stories.  This spellbinding art is preserved and performed at various sites called marae holy grounds (or meeting grounds).  The marae is a central part of Maori culture.  Incorporating traditional arts such as carving, the marae reflects the story of its people and culture.

My visits helped me gain a deeper understanding of Maori culture; however, I made a big blunder when I turned up unannounced.  My visit did not follow the correct protocol: first arranging a meeting with a powhiri.  This formal welcome traditionally marks the start of a marae visit.  The powhiri begins with a wero – a warrior confronts the visitors, twirling a club and flicking his tongue.  Then he lays down a token which the guest (me) picks up, all the while making faces intended to scare away enemies.  It can be quite frightening.  The powhiri also includes the karanga, a haunting call of welcome performed by the women of the marae.

After learning of my mistake, I asked for forgiveness from the Kaunataua, the chief of the Tainui tribe, a man of high rank in the traditional society.  I approached the leader and requested an audience with some of the Kuia, or older women of the Maori.  The Kaunataua was wary of my visit since I had walked in like I owned the place, but the Maori people are very welcoming and forgave my lack of respect to their traditions.  The request I made was accepted but with conditions: I had to speak further with the Karanga so he could learn more of my wishes and about me.  They have such strong spiritual beliefs that they must feel connected with an outsider to move forward.  We drank coffee together and I spoke of my intentions, but this was only part of his plan.  He asked what seemed like very personal questions, and while I expected to feel uncomfortable, I was not.  I felt I knew this person even though we had just met.  After a few hours the Karanga brought the meeting to an end with a traditional Maori hongi farewell – rubbing noses.  Before the Karanga departed, he asked me if I had a black dress or long skirt.  With puzzlement I said yes.  He explained that all women must wear black to enter a marae and I asked why.  Well, for the tangi of course!  I had no idea what a tangi was, but I respected my host’s request.

I was picked up by the Karanga and his Hoa Wahine (wife) very early the next day.  They were quite pleased by my form of dress.  As we set off I had many questions to ask and they had many details to give, for I had to follow their customs down to the last detail.  My first lesson was on how to enter and interact with the Maori people.  The list was long and I hoped I would not lose face with my hosts.

After what seemed like an endless ride, we arrived at our destination – what looked to be another marae.  As our car came to a stop I got my first glimpse of the Kuia, or women elders.  But not just any Kuia.  I was meeting the women that traveled with the Maori queen for over 18 years (similar to her court) before she passed on to the afterlife the year earlier.  As I was greeted by the Kuia women, they kindly handed me a Taua, a traditional headdress made of ferns.  The Kuia women placed the Taua on my head.  And it was then I realized I was in for something big.  I had no idea how big.  We made our way to the arches of the marae to have the usual karanga (the call of welcome) and mihi (greeting) procedures.  As this was happening the hoa wahine spoke under her breath to me instructing me to do as she did at all times, and never to walk ahead of the kaunataua (chief).  Still unsure of what would happen, we approached the building, and I was asked to remove my shoes.  We entered the building and took our seats behind all the Maori men.  I took a chance and asked the hoa wahine what was happening and she whispered, “The tangi.”  Now, for those of you who don’t know what a tangi is, you’re just as much in the dark as I was.  Let me translate.

The tangi or tangihanga embraces the funeral rites accorded a person before the body is finally interred.  The Maori believe that the tupapaku (body of the deceased person) should not be left on its own at any stage after death and people gather to take the tupapaku from the funeral practice to the marae, or place it where it will lie in the company of the living until burial.  To ensure this, the coffin is left open and the people will then touch the tupapaku.  Speeches and songs are made directly to the tupapaku in the belief that the spirit does not leave the vicinity of the body until the burial.  As you can guess, I was expected to do as the Maori people and take part in the rituals of the tangi.  I was scared out of my wits.  Throughout the event my host told me the importance of the tangi being held at the marae was, in part, to fulfill the wairua or spiritual being of the Maori – the belief that those who have died are always with the marae and the recently dead are released into the care of the long dead.  It is important to Maori that the dead be brought together to be greeted, respected and bid farewell.

It is equally important that the living come together to support each other.  By supporting each other on the marae the living are made aware of their place in life.  They are also reminded of the role of those who have died and the manner in which they are affected by their spiritual presence.  This is where all those personal questions from the Chief came in.  One of them was if I had lost anyone close and my answer was yes.  This was the reason they allowed me to be a part of this event.  For this honor is not usually allowed for non-Maori.  I was one in the first of the white people to be allowed to take part in a tangi.

My hosts believe life and death are intimately intertwined, and I had come to them in a time of need.  They felt I should lay my loved ones to rest with theirs.  It is hard to describe how this made me feel.

After the final ceremony in the burial grounds, we headed back to the marae for the feast and whaikorero, or formal speeches of the entire Maori leaders.  I could go on for pages about this, but I’ll just say it was truly a feast.  The entire event was one I will long remember.  I asked my host why they decided to include me in such a private affair and her answer was that they felt connected to me through all stages of my life.  I was overwhelmed.

This visit was not the end of my journey with the Maori people: I still needed more time with the Maori women.  I was informed after we left the tangi that they had something very special for me, and it would take place in the next few days.  I would get my chance to sit down for a one-on-one with a Maori woman.  With the hongi (touching of the noses) we said our good-byes and I left them with their promise of a special event in the coming days.  Stay tuned for it was an event that will stay with me for a lifetime.  I hope you will enjoy it as much as I have.

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Holy cow.  Seriously, right?  Wow.

Don’t forget Dez’s challenge this week!  And tune in next week for more about her time with the Maori.

As always, thanks to Dez and Lindsey for making this possible.  :)