|
|
Maori Culture in RotoruaThe Arawa tribes were the main pre-European inhabitants of Rotorua. The traditional centre for the Arawa people remains Ohinemutu, situated on the shore of lake Rotorua (near the city centre). Ohinemutu contains a marae and the Tamatekapua meeting house (named after the leader of the canoe in which the Arawa came to Rotorua).The Rotorua Art & History Museum (Te Whare Taonga O Te Arawa) has some nice exhibits and contains artifacts that display the cultural heritage of these peoples. It is located in the Government Gardens.
There is the Buried Village, a reconstructed Maori dwelling place that was
caught in the 1886 Tarawera eruption. The site was excavated and you can see
various exhibits from this. There are also scenic walks there which take you
past waterfalls and streams.
In general, a wide range of events and activities relating to Maori
culture are on display in Rotorua. Concerts with traditional dancing
and singing are often hosted. Some marae and a number of hotels
organise hangis where one can eat food cooked in the traditional way
- steamed in a pit with heated stones. One can view and purchase
various arts and craft work. All this can sometimes seem overly
commercialised, but at the same time it does provide an important
forum for Maori culture and artistic works, not to mention business
activity.
|
Contact us
The Maori Arts and Craft Centre is situated at Whakarewarewa and is
definitely worth a visit, not least for the wood carving activities.
Near the Centre is a Maori pa (fortified village) that's also very
interesting. At the Arts and Craft Centre you can see skilled carvers
at work, and a variety of other artistic works.
