A Powhiri is a traditional Maori welcome ceremony used over 300 years ago to determine if visitors arriving at a Pa or village were friends or foes. The ceremony involves a warrior performing a wero or challenge by laying down an offering like fern - if the visitors pick it up, it signifies peaceful intentions, and there would then be a welcoming song and sharing of information before a feast.
2. Fact 1 A Powhiri is a traditional Maori welcome.
3. Fact 2 It was used by Maori over 300 years ago to work out if visitors arriving at their Pa (village) were friends or foe (enemies).
4. Fact 3 First the Moari warrior standing guard at the entrance of the Pa would call out to his people that visitors were arriving.
5. Fact 4 Then a warrior would perform a wero – a challenge and approach the visitors in a war.
6. Fact 5 He would lay down something like a piece of fern on the ground before the visitors and if they picked it up it meant they were coming in piece – if they didn’t pick it up it meant war!
7. Fact 6 If the visitors picked up the offering there would be a Maori calling.A song of welcome from the Pa site and the visitors would enter singing their own song of reply.
8. Fact 7 They would meet in front of the Marae which is the place in front of the carved meeting house and share information about themselves and the visitors would explain why they had come to visit.
9. Fact 8 Then there would be a feast before the visitors left. And that is how a Powhiri works!
12. Bibliography This is where we got all our Facts from http://www.suzy.co.nz/suzysworld/Factpage.asp?FactSheet=259 We got all our images from Google Images.
