Taraunga

My second (and last) excursion was in Taraunga, which is on the northeastern coast of the north island of New Zealand.  Once we were in port, four buses were ready to transport us to a Maori Village.  It was an hour and a half ride, and the tour guide on the bus gave quite a long and interesting talk, which kept us entertained.

A "chief" was appointed on each bus, and they represented us as we entered the village.  They participated in a traditional opening ceremony, to assure the Maori chief that we were there on friendly terms.

 The men in the tribe performed a dance with spears.  Pretty impressive. Then, we entered their village and went from "station to station" and learned about carving, athletic training for the boys and girls, and the warrior dance.

 Tattoos on their faces were permanent.  Women had them too, on their chins.

To scare the enemy, the warriors would open their eyes wide, stick out their tongues, and grunt loudly.

Volunteers from our tour group got some Maori warrior training.

The women strengthen their wrists by swinging onion-like balls in various patterns.

 Next, we saw where they had prepared our noon meal in a pit of hot coals, covered with burlap and dirt. 


We were then led into a meeting house, and there both men and women performed tribal dances and traditional songs that were very entertaining and educational.

Lunch was served in a dining hall, and it was delicious!  We went though buffet style, and had carrots, sweet potatoes, stuffing, chicken, fist, lamb, and for dessert- Pavlova.  YUM.

On the bus trip back to the ship, we passed some hot springs, and they have baths just like they have here in Thermopolis.  We also saw kiwi orchards; they look exactly like wine vineyards.  I was really surprised.  We discovered that New Zealand's three main exports are lumber, dairy milk, and kiwi.

For our last dinner at sea, Jan, Greg, and I decided to eat at our favorite Bistro, where we were seated by the windows.  It was quiet and beautiful.  We ordered  chicken noodle soup, followed by Italian crepes.  So tasty.  

It was a beautiful evening, the waters were calm, and the sunset on the water was a sweet close to the cruise.