Maori values

Today we went to farewell ceremony of CEO at the university. The ceremony was held in Te Awamutu, which is small town 30 minutes from Hamilton. I was not sure what to expect, it was the whole day, from 9 till 17. Everything started at 12 o'clock. Speeches, songs, maori traditional lunch, and again speeches, presents, songs.

It was beautiful. People were thanking him for the person he is; what he did; for his humanity. They were not just empty frazes, everyone meant it sincerely. They thanked his wife for sharing him with whanau (something like family/community in extended way = university), they thanked her for letting him sharing the time with them, not just with family. Family is on the first place in Maori culture.

It is hard to explain, but people were laughing and crying, telling stories; it seemed that they really loved him. It was so different from oficial meetings/celebration that I know. It was formal and informal in the same way. They were not pretending, not lying. Maori appreciate man, his qualities and deeds, not his position, if he is manager or not. When I was leaving, I felt really touch by the whole day; and was thinking a lot about my family.

This is just one example of Maori song: