| The indigenous culture of New Zealand is present in various aspects of modern day society, including education, politics, news, musical influences, etc. New Zealand has overcome the challenge of preserving its indigenous heritage better than most other colonized countries. Although it wasn't without a struggle, the Maori people have obtained many legal and social rights that most indigenous cultures were forced to live without for many years. While abroad in New Zealand, be sure to take advantage of living among a strong bi-cultural society by experiencing some unique Maori traditions and learning first-hand from some of your new Maori friends. Māori origins
New Zealand is one of the last areas of the Earth settled by humans. Māori oral history describes the arrival of the ancestors from Hawaiki (a mythical homeland in tropical Polynesia) by large ocean-going canoes (waka) — see Māori migration canoes. Migration accounts vary among Māori tribes (iwi), whose members can identify with different waka in their genealogies or whakapapa.
 Important Māori words Aoteoroa
Aotearoa (pronounced: [ay-oh-teh-roh-ah]) is accordingly most often translated as "The land of the long white cloud" and is considered the Maori word for New Zealand.
Kia Ora
Kia ora is a Māori language greeting which has entered New Zealand English. It means literally "be well/healthy" and may also be regarded in a more formal sense as a traditional greeting of "Good health." It is used for both "Hello" and "goodbye."
A Few Maori Traditions Not to Miss While in New Zealand: The Marae 
The most appropriate venue for any Māori cultural event is a marae, an enclosed area of land where a wharenui or meeting house (literally "big house") stands. The marae is a communal ceremonial center where meetings and ceremonies take place in accordance with traditional protocols. The marae symbolizes group unity and generally consists of an open grassed area in front of a large carved meeting house, along with a dining hall and other facilities necessary to provide a comfortable stay for visiting groups. The older people have the authority on the marae, and they impart to the young people traditions and cultural practices including legends, songs or the arts of weaving or carving.
The Hāngi
Although marae have modern cooking facilities, the hāngi, a traditional way of cooking food in Polynesia, is still used to provide meals for large groups because the food it produces is considered flavorful. The hāngi consists of a shallow hole dug in the ground. A fire is prepared in the hole and stones are placed on the top of it. When the stones are hot the hāngi is prepared for cooking by leaving the hot stones and some of the coals at the bottom of the hole. The food is placed on top of the stones, the meat first, with the vegetables, such as kumara and potatoes, on top of it. The hāngi is then covered with leaves or mats woven out of flax (or wet sacks) and left to cook. Finally, soil is heaped over the hāngi to keep the heat in.
The Haka 
The haka is an action chant, often described as a "war dance", but more a chant with hand gestures and foot stamping, originally performed by warriors before a battle, proclaiming their strength and prowess and abusing the opposition. Now regularly performed by New Zealand representative rugby and rugby league teams before a game begins. There are many different haka though one, "Ka mate" by Te Rauparaha, is much more widely known than any other. SOURCE: www.wikipedia.org A word from our alumni:
"I personally didn't take a Maori class, which I now regret. However, I learned heaps from my Maori friends that I made while in New Zealand. I was on a floor in the dorms with 32 people, only 3 were American. This gave me the opportunity to expand my horizons culturally. The first couple of days in New Zealand we went to a traditional Maori village and saw different traditions that occurred in the past. Personally, I had no idea that the Maori culture existed before arriving in New Zealand. I now know some history about the Maori culture and how it has developed over the years. My friends educated me about their history and taught me many valuable things. I can even say some words in Maori :) New Zealand might be a small country, but there is enough scenery, culture and good people to last a lifetime!!"
- N. Reindl, University of Colorado at Boulder, Semester Abroad at University of Waikato
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