New Zealand is made up of two main islands and is home to both the indigenous Maori people and New Zealanders. The Maori are the original inhabitants of New Zealand and live mostly in the North Island. They have their own distinct culture including traditional clothing, greetings by pressing noses together, and performing ceremonial dances called Kapa Haka. The national sports are rugby and sailing, and the capital and largest city is Wellington.

1. OCEANIA / AUSTRALIA
CULTURE: MAORI

2. NEW ZEALAND FLAG
MAORI FLAG

3. • Maoris live in New Zealand, in
the Nothern Island.
• A person from New Zealand is
called New Zealander.
• The capital of New Zealand is
Wellington.
•New Zealand is formed by two
big islands: Northern Island and
Southern Island.
•Language. They speak English,
Maori and BANZSL: British,
Australian and New Zealand Sign
Language (2 handed manual
alphabet).

4. • Food. They like hangi (meat and
vegetables cooked on a hot rock in
a hole under the ground) and
pavlova (cake made of fruits like
kiwi). Maori people like fish and
seafood. New Zealanders like meat
like lamb and fish and chips.

5. • Animals. Typical animal: kiwi (hairy bird which can’t fly).
It’s the national symbol of New Zealand. Other birds:
weka, moa, kakapo, kea, gannets, yellow-eyed penguin,…
Other animals: lizards like tuatara, gecko, skink,…; frogs,
sea lions, fur seal, sperm whale, maui dolphin, bottlenose
dolphin, sheep, possum,…

6. •Plants. Pohutukawa (Christmas tree and flower),
silverfern, koru, kauri tree (very big and high: 50m).
•House. Wharenui. It’s made of materials from the forest:
wood, reed, bark,… (trees and plants).
Marae is the Maori sacred house for ceremonies. You
have to leave shoes outside the house.
There are skyscrapers and flats in big cities.

7. • Family. The maoris form big families living in the same
house.
• Clothes. Maori boys wear stripped skirts and maori girls
wear stripped skirts, headbands and black and red corsets.
• Greetings. The maoris rub their forehead and nose twice
to say hello.
Hello / Thanks = Kia Ora.
Hello everybody = Tena Koutou Katoa.
Goodbye = E Noho Ra.

8. • Sports. Rugby is the national sport.
• Weather. It’s warm, rainy and sunny. It’s warm in the
Northern island. It’s cold and snowy in the Southern island.
• Currency. It’s the New Zealand Dollar.

9. • Jobs. Maoris used to be warriors. Nowadays, they are
peasants (agriculture), stockbreeders and fishers.
(Primary sector).
•Monuments: Sky Tower. It’s the highest tower of the
South Hemisphere (328m).
• Geography. The highest mountain is Mount Cook
(3724m). The longest river is Waikato River (425 km).

10. • Famous people: Keisha Castle-Hughes (actress), Jane
Campion (film director), Peter Jackson (film director), Abel
Janszoon Tasman (1st sailor to get NZ), James Cook (1st
british to conquer New Zealand).

11. • Religion. The maoris believe in several
syncretic religions, combining various
aspects of Christianity with traditional and
non-traditional Māori philosophies (Gods
related to nature, animals,…) like Ringantú
(+), Pai Marire, Hauhau, Church of the Seven
Rules of Jehovah, Ratana (++) or even Islam.
Almost 50% population in New Zealand are
Christian.
• Means of Transport. They usually go by
waka (big canoe) or on foot.
• Typical Maori Dance. It’s called Kapa Haka.
Warriors used to dance it. Nowadays, the
rugby team All Blacks does it.

12. • Curiosities.
• It’s the 1st country of our planet to see
the new day and receive the New Year.
• The Maoris use masks to make spirits go
away.
• Maori men. The more tattoos they have,
the more important they are. Maori men
tattoo their face, arms and bottom. Maori
women only tattoo their chin, upper lip and
the lower part of the nose.
•Both islands are surrounded by mountains
and lakes. Mountains are volcanos circled
by geysers (holes in the ground that expel
hot water).