Just after Christmas we took my parents to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, now that they have the museum there the whole place has grown quite a bit. After going through the museum and looking over the peninsula we wanted to visit the Marae which is not only used for huis (meetings) but is also for performances for tourists and kiwis. The reason this area is so important is that on this land the treaty was first signed between the British and the Maori.
We waited outside for the performance that was happening inside to finish and once everyone came out we walked in and took photos. Now normally if you're not Maori you have to be welcomed onto the Marae grounds, you can't just enter but this one is for everyone and most Maraes aren't lit up like this. Along the walls are the most amazing carvings, weaving and artwork - this really symbolizes our culture.
Linking up with The Weekend Roundup and Weekend Reflections.