Maori are the accepted indigenous people of New Zealand and due to the signing of The Treaty of Waitangi in 1840 with the British they have had a partnership with the government. Maori and English are official languages as well as NZ Sign Language. New Zealand has a population of 4.3 million of which 14% are Maori, 9% Asian, mainly of Indian and Chinese origin.
If you want to have a cultural experience in New Zealand you can book a tour to see a Maori village. The best time to visit would be the end of February and early March as this will be when you can “see the Chinese New Year in” by attending the Festival of Lanterns in Auckland. It is held in Albert Park over a week-end. This is one of the high lights in the Auckland calendar. There are many hotels to choose from in Auckland.
7% of the population have Pacific Island origins. Most of the European influence is British and many still have roots or family in the British Isles and many of the Polynesians have family in the Islands like Samoa, Fiji, and Tonga. There are huge festivals to celebrate the diversity of the different people groups. The high-light of the year for the Pacific community is the Polyfest. It is the biggest Pacific Island and Maori festival in the world. There are usually over 200 groups that compete from over 60 high schools from the Auckland region. If you enjoy seeing cultural groups perform synchronized dance and singing, this 2 day festival is a must for you. You will see groups performing from communities like; Maori, Samoan, Tongan, Fijian, Chinese, Filipino, Indian, Sri Lankan, Malaysian and many other ethnic groups. Accommodation near the airport in Auckland is good for this event.
View Ployfest Video
Plan to visit at the end of February and early March so you can see these festivals. Visits to the Maori cultural centres in Rotorua are available all year round. The weather is also great during these months.
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