We had intended to do an evening show, but this was fully booked so we went the next day for a day time pass and a ticket to the cultural show.
We started with a quick walk around the major geysers and steaming pools.
Our cultural Maori show started at 10 am, with a display of warrior skills, and the meeting with our representative chief. The lead warrior displays his skill with a weapon before laying down a green branch as an offer of friendship, and this is picked up by our "chief" before they greet each other with the Hongi or pressing of noses and handshake.
Going inside their meeting hut - this one is a display version, and therefore allows for taking of photographs - there was a display of weapon slicks as well as dancing and singing.
Here the Maori women are twirling something that has a white padded ball on one end and is held by a red fluffy thing - it does have a name, which I can't recall...
After this experience we visited the national carving centre, where students learn to become master carvers and then return to their regions to teach others the carving methods.
This group of carvers are working on a world war one memorial to Maori soldiers who were killed at the battle of Gallipoli.
Next to the carving school is the weaving school, where women are taught the skills of weaving flax into cloaks for ceremonial occasions, and into baskets, and other adornments.
Here is another Maori warrior displaying his skills and then laying down the leaf of friendship.
Carol took heaps more photos of boiling mud and geysers and here is just one of these.
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