Their indigenous group

The Maori are the indigenous group of New Zealand. They are Polynesian and cover about 14 percent of the country's population. Maori is the native language which is related to Tahitian and Hawaiian. It is believed that the Maori migrated from Polynesia in canoes around the 9th century to 13th century AD. Maori live in all parts of New Zealand but predominately in the North Island where the climate is warmer. Maori Traditions The famous Maori traditions today are the "Haka" which is a war dance, “Powhiri” which is a Maori welcome, “Moko” which are full faced tattoos and lastly “Hangi” which is form of cooking. The Haka was performed before the onset of war by the Maori last century, but now it has been commemorated by New Zealand's Rugby Team the “All Blacks”, who would perform this dance before every game. The traditional Maori welcome is called a powhiri; this involves a hongi which is a greeting that involves pressing noses as similar to a kiss. Another famous feature of Maori culture is the striking tattoos that were worn. Full faced tattoos or "moko", amongst the Maori tribes is mainly a male activity. Female forms of moko are restricted to the chin area, the upper lip, and the nostrils. Today the Moko still lives on as an increasing number of Maori who are willing to receive their Moko, in an effort to preserve their culture and identity. Lastly is the traditional form of cooking called a Hangi is a feast cooked in the earth. Stones are heated in a fire where it will be place in a dug out pit and covered in cabbage leaves or watercress to stop the food from burning. Mutton, pork, chicken and potatoes are then lowered into the pit in a basket. The food is covered with Mutton cloth. Finally earth is placed on top to keep in the steam. The food takes about 3 hours to cook. The Hangi is still popular and is an alternative to a weekend barbecue.