On Sunday we had an amazing adventure. We had the opportunity to make a
traditional feast called a hangi with
the Maori people (native New Zealanders).
The hangi consists of pork, chicken, potatoes, pumpkins and stuffing. The meal starts with stones being heated up
on a bonfire. Once the stones are
extremely hot they are transported to a pit that is dug in the ground. First in is the pork, then on top of that the
chicken, next is the potatoes then the pumpkin and stuffing. All of it is covered with a wet white cloth
and soaked with water. Then the whole
thing is covered with wet gunny sacks.
Once everything is covered dirt is piled on the pit and over all the
food. It cooks for over 4 hours.
The Maori people are very tribal and family is important to
them. When they make this feast they
work together as a family unit and they invited us in to help. I started off cutting pumpkins then helped separate the chicken.
When we finished we were treated with some singing and with
the hongi, the traditional Maori greeting.
In the greeting you shake hands and touch foreheads and noses. They great like this because God breathed
into man life so they touch noses as a symbol of God breathing life into
humans.
After the meal was finished many of the World Racers went to
work on take a nap. I rested for a
little bit but I don’t have the gift to sleep anywhere like most people so it
didn’t last long. I went back to spend
time with the Maori and they were shelling kina and muscles. It smelled horrible!! They talked me into eating some of the kina,
which is a delicacy. I just put it in my
mouth and swallowed. But some of the
taste did linger and it was gross!! But I
had an experience with the Maori that no one else had since I was with them
alone.
Don’t forget to read part two!
