Whakarewarewa Village is just like a Chinese Village

I have recently re-visited Whakarewarewa - the living Maori Village located at 17 Tryon Street in Rotorua.

Together with my visitors from Melbourne, we walked through the Village on a guided tour. We watched the cultural performance of six Maori dancers and tasted the Hangi food at the restaurant.

 

The village comprises:

(1) a Memorial Archway, the equivalent of a Pai Lou 牌楼（Entrance Archway) in an olden-day Chinese village.

(2) Whare Tipuna the Ancestral Meeting House, the equivalent of Chi Tang 祠堂 in the Chinese village.

(3) Cultural Performance Area which is equivalent to the Village Opera House in the Chinese village.

(4) Maara Kai, the vegetable garden, the equivalent of the padi fields of the Chinese village.

(5) Geyser Lookout, Viewing Platform - the equivalent of the pavilions of the Chinese village.

(6) Te Arawa Church, the equivalent of the Village Temple House.

(7) Te Kohanga Reo, Language nest, the equivalent of the Village School Classroom.

(8) Urupa, the Cemetery - again there is a similar Village cemetery in any ancient Chinese village.

 

What is the point of all these reflections?

 

Well, as we know, Chinese tourists are now coming here to New Zealand.

The more of such tourists coming into Rotorua and into Whakarewarewa, the better.

Therefore, why not get all the marketing materials translated into the Chinese Language and distributed to visitors at the main Airports?

Why not get some of our new Chinese migrants to help in getting Rotorua and Whakarewarewa (the Living Maori Village) into the Chinese Tourism Map?

 

Yes, Why not?