A group Im with held its annual hangi out at Clandon House (in Surrey) on Sunday the 25th of June.
Actually, on Saturday I met Lord Snowdon (or what ever his name was) and he told us to move our truck because it was blocking the road his servants use to get home
I also want to take this opportunity to share part of my heritage with you all.
BUT I digress. Here are some photos of Ngati Ranana, a Maori culture group based here in London. Personally I think these images are some of my best work yet (they look absolutely cracking on my monitor...so they might come out a bit dark on yours, but hey
).
This is part of the welcoming ceremony, called the Powhiri. Its done to determine whether the people who are visiting come as friends or just want a good fight. In old times this was a very important ceremony where literally your life depended on how everyone felt on the day.
Ngati Ranana in front of Hinemihi. Hinemihi is one of the few (if not the only) Maori Wharenui outside of NZ. It holds a special place in our hearts as it reminds us not only of home but also of our ancestors and whanau we have all left behind. Its story is quite moving, especially when soldiers from the NZ Pioneer Battalion in WWI, made up of Maori soldiers, found it, moved it to its current location and lovingly restored it.
One of the lads performing a Haka. Nothing gets the blood going like a good old Haka! In fact, a number of years ago while in Australia with the NZ Army we had just done a Haka for our Aussie brothers and at the end of it the atmosphere was so thick you could have cut it with a knife. Honestly, one wrong move by the Australians would have seen a full company (plus support platoon) wade in to them boots and all...BUT...just at the most critical point a lone Australian voice called out "we will kick off cobber". Everyone burst out in fits of laughter. Bah...I guess you had to be there
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