Maori Powhiri

The halls of the United Nations echoed with singing and chanting today during the colorful and lively traditional Maori ceremony to welcome UNDP Administrator Helen Clark. The event, called a powhiri (pronounced poor-fee-ree), began with the thunderous sounding of a conch shell and a Maori warriors dance, and ended with Helen Clark, the former Prime Minister of New Zealand, and her Maori delegation pressing noses with senior UN officials in a hongi. Today I am truly humbled to be formally presented here to the UN and to UNDP by senior Maori leaders who have travelled to New York for this occasion, said Helen Clark. The powhiri is a traditional Maori ceremony which takes place when manuhiri, or visitors, and tangata whenua, or people of the land, meet and is a dynamic part of public life in New Zealand today. In this ceremony, Helen Clark and her delegation of Maori leaders represented the visitors and UNDP staff represented the people of the land. The ceremony entrusted Helen Clark to UNDP and marked her transition from being a representative of New Zealand to a representative of UNDP. Te Arikinui Kingi Tuheitia, the Maori King and Paramount Chief, led the Maori delegation, dressed in traditional garb, in presenting Clark to her new UN family. UN Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro and UNDP Associate Administrator Ad Melkert represented the UN at the event, each giving remarks partially in their native language of Kiswahili and Dutch respectively, as is customary during these ceremonies. Helen Clark comes to us with a career of achievement behind her and now heads an organization that is dedicated to helping the worlds poorest and most vulnerable people. This is an immense challenge, said UN Deputy Secretary-General Migiro. As we say in Kiswahili: Ngoma imepata mwenyewe—the drum has met its match! Helen, I have great confidence that you will play this drum well. At the top of my priorities now will sharpening our focus on poverty reduction and the MDGs. With my background of working for economic and social justice, nothing is more important to me, added Miss Clark. The word powhiri encapsulates two concepts. The word po can be translated as a venture into the unknown or a new experience, while whiri refers to the experience of exchanging information and knowledge. It is a gradual process of the manuhiri and the tangata whenua coming together, through exchanging calls, chants, martial arts, songs, speeches and food. Each speaker received a song of support led by the Maoris and New Zealanders in the crowd.

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• Maori
• Powhiri
• Haka
• Helen
• Clark
• New
• Zealand
• UNDP
• UN

[bmonz08]

@244Ohiro how so?? The Maori race are a great inspiration to indigenous cultures worldwide.. Indigenous cultures are always subject to a suppressive system and I think it's great that they can get past all the negative stereotypes to focus on positive visions and represent Aotearoa on a global scale.

[hecetiwood]

Thank you for putting this video on youtube.

Ive been in the states for over 8 years and am very proud of NZ. I miss the language of our people so much , and our people, and our land.

The yanks dont have what we have and have no understanding of what it means.

Thank you so much.

[2patero]

Hitler did not want the western world to know that he considered the true master race to be the Maori! doitz

0.50 The bro in blue pack'n his tarau! Lolz

[tpunofficial]

Such strong intent and focus. A vivid presence and sharing.

[wicody290110]

what an idiot ole 'moral invasion' pooop!!! sounds sick and in need of treatment-urgently!!!

[nakimata1]

The dosen't need racist little girls like you, that's why their all dead. So go do the whole world ( including your family who would be ashamed and humiliated by your hurtful comments) , and go jump off a bridge.

[nakimata1]

Morallvasion you're a spine-less know it all red-neck gay mother fucker. How dare you mock MY culture in such a way. Have we ever mocked or did anything bad to your culture, that have caused you to be such a judgemental little coward. NO! All we've done is tried to hold on to what is ours. Yes we have faults, so what let your justice be served. Not everyone is perfect like you. However, let me tell you karma is a bitch, what negative energy you give out, you WILL get back 10 times. The world do

[MoralInvasion]

@69caranofan Yes my family haved traced our heritage back to 13th century England. Your point? I dont understand how that is relevant to Maori blood quantams or the other points I've raised.

[MoralInvasion]

@ukustyle Oh yes brilliant, a racial attack on the English race [your own blood] followed by a plea to be more respectful of other races. You should be on mastermind. Anyone reading this thread will see that I bring solid statistical evidence relating to part Maoris and you bring wild assumptions.

[ukustyle]

@MoralInvasion the only reason why any culture on earth are f@#$d up is they are half breed english and the filth that they bought with them have been passed down genetically ,hitler shud have f@#$%ed yous

up then we would be a pure race not a half breed so you say ,any way i am half english and half maori and people like you should be more respectful of other peoples culture if you are so patriotic go back to england

im proud of my maori heritage more than i am of my english heritage

[MoralInvasion]

Maoris are a rapidly disappearing race and considering they represent 15% of the population and 1 in 3 are state dependant, 51% of prison inmates, 59% of female inmates, half of all children in state care, the highest rate of abuse related child head trauma in the world and the second highest rate of child murder, I can tell you most of us will be more than happy to bid them farewell.

[MoralInvasion]

@ukustyle The English race began with the arrival of the Beaker people around 14,000 years ago, then the Celts, Romans, Jutes, Angles, Saxons, Vikings and Normans. Please dont assume you know anything of my heritage. Part Maoris are the descendants of Polynesian migrants 1250ad and Europeans. The average blood quantam is currently 61% Polynesian and in 50 years will be around 17%.