Let’s do the HONGI

Sid, a real Maori and an acquaintance of Ms Pair, came to our school in order to talk about the Maori culture.

 

The students of the 3 HL, 4 HL and 5 HL got the chance to gain an insight into Maori tradition and lifestyle and the way things look like and work on the other side of the world.

 

 

We were all truly impressed by Sid’s tattoos, especially about the meaning of each tattoo he is wearing. All of them tell a story – his story. Sid took us back to the beginnings of the Maori culture and showed us pictures of the first boats with which his ancestors reached the Cook Islands.

 

He proudly talked about his tribe and his roots and about the deep connection every Maori has with their descendants.

He showed us the HAKA – a traditional Maori dance, he sang a Maori song for us while playing the guitar and taught us how to do the HONGI, which is the traditional Maori way of greeting people, used instead of a formal handshake.

 

Thank you Sid for being with us and bringing your world a bit closer to ours!