Powhiri!!

Statements of all Powhiri:

Powhiri is a welcoming ceremony that is held on a Marae, a Marae is not the only place where you celebrate a Powhiri, it can happen when you host something or when you welcome visitors or a group of visitors. A Powhiri is a step by step process of removing the tapu of the visitors and making them one of the Tangata Whenua. A Powhiri begins with a Karanga, which is a ceremonial call of welcome.

What it looks like? The visitors will gather together outside the Marae entrance. The Powhiri may be issued by young woman from the Tangata Whenua. You will hear Karanga from a woman from the Tangata Whenua. The young woman from the visitor will start to advance and then the woman from the tangata whenua will reply to your Karanga. Once we enter the wharenui the chief/boys will sit in the front and all the ladies will sit at the back of the chiefs/boys.

What it sounds like? It sound really quiet if we stand from the back but if we stand at the front it will sound loud. When we say the Karanga is has to be loud so everyone can hear what you say and also it has to be loud.

What I felt about the Powhiri? I felt really scared and shy to walk while they welcome us because the Maori people have a lot of tattoos on their face/arms/legs and when we got to the front and I saw there faces I felt even more scared.