Powhiri Process

Before we went to stay at the marae, we learnt about the powhiri process. Here is the presentation I did with Sasha to show my learning about powhiri.

Kia ora, Ko Mackenzie toku ingoa  

Kia ora, ko Sasha toku ingoa.   

Click here if you want to hear us explaining the powhiri process

Today we are going to be explaining the Powhiri process.

First if you are lucky enough you get a wero and if you are a very import person like the queen you will usually  have a wero.

A wero is a challenge for the hosts to see if the visitors come in peace. The hosts normally send out their best or fastest warrior. The warrior will put a stick or a branch down on the ground and if you pick it up and walk backwards it means you come in peace so the warrior runs back to tell his tribe and if you pick the stick up and turn your back it means you don’t come in peace.

After a wero there is a karanga. A karanga is a call of welcome. The karanga is usually done by an elder woman. A karanga lets visitors know they are allowed to come onto the Marae. A karanga is also a time to remember those that have past away.

After the karanga there is the whaikōrero.The whaikōrero is done by the men, both the hosts and visitors do the whaikōrero. The whaikōrero honours the dead and welcomes the guests and sometimes they also debate many issues.

After the whaikorero there is a koha given. A koha is a gift usually given by the visitors speaker. The gift is usually some money to help keep the marae running.     

After the Koha there is a waiata. After each man from the hosts and visitors do their speech their people sing a waiata. The waiata is usually started by the women.

After the waiata everyone lines up and it’s hongi time!!!!

This means you share the breath of life. It also lifts the tapu. The hongi is when you touch noses.

Once everyone has lined up and hongid. You have kai. The hosts make kai to welcome everybody and to lift the tapu which means once you have eaten kai the powhiri process has ended.

After the kai it is the poroporoaki. At the end of your stay everybody gathers in the wharenui again. That means that anybody can get up and say something. Like what they liked, how they felt and they thank the hosts. Sometimes some people sing waiata.

That is the end of the Powhiri process.

           Bye!