Ngarimu, entrance to the Marae

I am teaching my students the Marae, the meeting place of the Maori people. Earlier this year, I spent an evening there, and later I went with my sister. I learnt quite a bit of protocol to teach my students.

This is the first entrance, where visitors wait until they are invited to enter the grounds. There is a Powhiri. The visitors sing a karanga, telling the hosts they come in peace. The women will enter first, to show indeed they come in peace.