Village day a learning experience

Tamlyn Stewart | 9th February 2010

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WELCOME: Rangi Wade welcomes Joe Nagera and his daughter Anna, 9, and son Joe Jnr, 9, to Whakarewarewa Thermal Village. KELVIN TEIXEIRA 060210KT15

Waitangi Day in Rotorua was all about learning for Fijian Joe Nagera and his children.

The Nagera family recently moved to Rotorua from Fiji, and visited Whakarewarewa Thermal Village for the first time on Saturday to take part in the Waitangi Day celebrations there.

Mr Nagera said the day was a chance to learn about New Zealand's history and culture while spending time with his family.

"This is our first time here, we haven't had time to come here before," Mr Nagera said.

"I bring my family out whenever there's a function or anything happens on that day."

Mr Nagera, and his children Joe Jnr and Anna, 9, were thrilled with the performance of traditional Maori songs and dances at the outdoor performance venue at the village.

"We did the actions for one of the songs with the group - they told all of us, the guests, to stand up. They showed us how to do the shaking of the hands and the swaying of the hips. The kids were standing on their seats and following the dancing," Mr Nagera said.

"It was good. There were all different cultures there - Indian, Chinese, Koreans, Norwegians and we were all enjoying it."

A steady stream of foreign tourists and locals entered the village on Saturday with many stopping to enjoy performances by Maori, Thai and Korean groups on the main stage.

Others stood on the bridge near the main entrance watching boys penny-dive while tour guides were kept busy leading groups of newcomers around the village, explaining the geothermal forces beneath.

Joe Jnr and Anna said they had a great day. Their favourite part? "The kapa haka," they both replied instantly.

"I had heard of the kapa haka, the Maori war dances, but I had never seen it, apart from the haka they do at the rugby. The one I saw today was awesome," Mr Nagera said.

He had also learnt there were similarities between Maori and the Fijian language. "Like 'puku', is Maori for stomach, we say 'poko' for stomach."

He said the day had given his family an insight into local history and culture.

"Maori culture is not a dying thing, the kids grow up with it, they learn it - they had the little ones among them [during the performance] and they were looking at how their parents and grandparents do it.

"[This day will] stay with us for all time - the values we have and the values they have."