A Powhiri is a Maori Traditional welcoming that is very scared in a Marae.
We all waited quietly, suddenly we heard shouting we all knew that it was time for the Powhiri Ana-lei lead our school into the Marae, The Girls were in the front and the Boys/Warriors were at the back. Finally we were in we were told by the Lady to take off our shoes because it was part of the Marae’s Protocols.
After we took off our shoes we waited for the girls to enter the Marae the, they had now enter it was time the the boys to enter.
We all gathered into the Marae the boys had to sit up on the chairs while the girls were on the floor, we were told that it was time for the karaki. As Soon as the Karaki was over we all stood up to sing the welcoming song E toru Nga Mea and He honore. After our lovely hymn we all sat back down so we could listen to one of the men’s say there speech to us in Maori.
Immediately his speech was finished. Karakia and the speeches were finished, it was time for lunch we were all hungry, after our taste meal it was time to go and play, we all ran around like a pack of monkey and took photo’s in front the Marae, sadly our play time had came to an end but at the same time we very happy because of it was time to do some activities.
Our first activity was to learn our Pepeha/Introducing yourself. After our Pepeha we were all split up into 2 big groups, we all did different activities, my group went to the WhareKai/Eating room, our first activity was making a flower out of flax it was pretty hard but I managed to finish it off, now it was the next activity we had to learn 2 waiata it was very nice songs, after learning the songs it was break, sadly it was time for the year 7 and 8’s to leave for tech, I really did not want to go but we had to.
Overall I really had fun at the Marae I wish we could go there again.
