Haka (war dance) at the Mitai Maori Village

New Zealand is a beautiful, sparsely populated country with warm, friendly people. We enjoyed it tremendously in February ’08 on a trip arranged through ElderTreks (Toronto, Ont.; 800/741-7956) and conducted by Walk ‘N’ Tours NZ.

However, although our tour was for three weeks, we felt we covered too much territory. Starting in Auckland, we traveled by 20-passenger coach through the North Island down to Wellington, by ferry across to the South Island, then down to Queensland and Milford Sound. We easily could have used an additional week.

Pictured here with a crown of ferns is a young Maori performing a haka (war dance) at the Mitai Maori Village, located five minutes outside of Rotorua. I like his expression and especially the moko (tattooing), both of which were intended to frighten opposing warriors.

The stage was a reconstruction of a marae (village) [Editor's note: a reader pointed out the correct word is pa or pah] circa AD 1500. The performance was followed by a hangi, or a feast cooked in an earth oven, with lamb and chicken. (Think Hawaiian luau.)

Although the haka and hangi were included in our tour, the Mitai website quotes a price of NZ$99 (near US$70) per person. We feel it would be well worth that price. — FRED LOKAY, Williamsburg, VA