Tauranga is one of the fastest growing cities in New Zealand. It was very crowded on a Tuesday summer day. We drove directly out of town and onto the expressway, eventually getting into the mountains and to a huge lake in a volcanic caldera. A quick stop in the town of Rotorua and then on to the Tamaki Māori Village. One of our bus mates was designated as chief and he had a quick session learning how to respond to the traditional Māori greeting and welcoming ceremony.

After our greeting, we split up into four small groups to see the four educational sites. The first was a talk on using the traditional herbs and plants of the forest for food and health care.

The second was a quick tutorial on the Haka, a tribal specific dance with stomping, chest slapping, bulging eyes and tongue protrusion. We were given instruction and then led through a short Haka. If you want to see it done better, go to YouTube and put in All Blacks Haka, since the New Zealand All Blacks Rugby team performs a Haka to challenge their opponents before the game begins. Ours did not look as fearsome.

The third was a talk by the women about poi, which is not the Hawaiian food, but a dance using a ball attached to a string.

The final area was a game of toss the sticks. Useful for hand eye coordination it is played and practiced by the men. We were partnered with one of the Māori boys to learn the exercise.

Then a big buffet lunch and back on the bus to the ship and off to Auckland.