A Powhiri is a formal traditional Maori welcome. It is a structured and negotiated process that provides the means to establish new and ongoing relationships between different parties. Participants in a Powhiri have defined roles. Hosts are known as tangata whenua, while guests are known as manuhiri. Tangata whenua stand on one side of the paipai (the welcome area), and you, the manuhiri, stand on the other side.
Before you arrive, one to three male members of your group must be selected to act on behalf of your group. A Maori woman will lead the selected men, then the women in her group and the rest of the men forward. It is important that this process be followed. Women are considered sacred to Maori, as women are associated with the spiritual realm, due to being honored to give birth.
A Maori warrior wielding a tiaha (Maori spear) will challenge the selected men and the rest of your party. This process is known as wero. The purpose of the wero is to see if you are coming as a friend or foe. The warrior will then place a leaf on the ground for one of your party to pick up. Picking up the sheet will mean that your party has become friends. The warrior will slap him on the leg and the haunting voice of the karanga will echo through the air.
The karanga warns guests that they are entering a new environment, one that is sacred. The Maori woman (who led the selected men and her group) will sing a response (the Kaikaranga) on behalf of the entire group. The kaikaranga chant focuses on recognizing the place, the people, particularly the ancestors, those present, and the purpose of the gathering.
As the karanga and kaikaranga continue, the kaikaranga will slowly advance your party, where the whenua tangata will welcome you with a formal “welcome song.” The welcome song will be native to the Maori tribe you are visiting. Each tribe has its own unique welcome songs. At this point, you will proceed to the seating area with your selected speakers at the front, facing the whenua tangata.
Once everyone is seated, tangata whenua begins the whaikorero, the official welcome, recognition of the attendees and the purpose of the visit. When a speaker has finished his whaikorero, the speech is always accompanied by a song. After the whenua tangata speakers are complete, it is time for a response from the manuhiri (his group) to be heard. Remember the knights who led your party at the start of the powhiri, well these are the men nominated to answer.
However, remember that each speech delivered on behalf of the group must also be accompanied by a song. The song can be anything, including your country’s national anthem; what really matters is that you sing a song that is important to your party. I was at a powhiri where the manuhiri were all Australian and they sang “Waltzing Matilda” after the speech.
When the last song is sung, your group, led by your speakers, will move to greet tangata whenua. This is the last part of the powhiri process and is called the hongi. The hongi is where you shake hands, press the nose and forehead with the whenua tangata. This is also the opportunity to talk to tangata whenua.
These are the protocols and processes of the traditional Maori powhiri.