The place of the conference, Rotorua is famous its thermal activity and the richness of its Maori culture. This culture has a renaissance these days. We could see Maori language signs, publications, restored buildings, tourist attractions, event announcements. People are proud of any Maori ancestors they might be able to find. In general, ancestors are very important to Maori. The guide on the picture, who showed me around a site with geysers as well as the Maori craft institute, where they teach traditional carving and flax weaving, told me that people might be able to keep track of their ancestors for as many as 20 generations. This used be a lot harder before literacy. "Better" Maori tend to know also which canoe (waka) their ancestor came on from Polynesia.

Participants of the conference were treated to a "haka", traditional war dance and singing show, where the "savages" scare their audience by blood curling shouts, rolling their eyes and sticking out their tongue. Women were part of the show also, but they weren't savage enough, they wore a top and makeup instead of tattoo. Afterward, the audience was invited to participate and Peter did a very good job with his eyes and tongue. I forgot my camera on the occasion but he indulged me back home (at the sounds of the original "haka" which we bought.) While this show was obviously meant for tourists, we heard that such performances were still very much part of the living culture. There would be war dances before rugby games or whenever an important guest shows up in the Maori village. Not a war dance, but a different long musical ceremony takes place around otherwise Christian funerals and weddings.

The Maori man with the baby carriage was one of the eye rolling, tongue sticking "savages" at the dance performance the night before. I couldn't resist asking for a picture the next day, when I accidentally bumped into him.

The carved meeting houses we have seen in the museum are also part of the living tradition. We saw several from the highway. Some are old, some renewed or new. They house pictures of ancestors, treasures of the extended family, and are used for celebrations. According to the guide book, visitors are welcome, but they must announce their planned visit ahead. If they do, they may be treated to a dance, a few speeches and nose-touching greetings with the elders. We missed not only such visits, but - arriving too late from our hike, we also missed the nose-touching opportunity with a couple of Rotorua dignitaries who came out to greet the conference.