Celebrating cultural exchange and global connection, the Youth of ๐๐ฆ ๐๐ฎ๐ช๐ฐ๐ณ๐ข๐ฏ๐จ๐ช of the Mฤori tribe brought the heart and soul of their rich Aotearoan culture inside the pillars of John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University (Molo) by conducting an enriching cultural workshop named ๐๐จ๐ข ๐๐ข๐ถ๐ฌ๐ถ๐ณ๐ข ๐ ๐๐ข๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ถ๐ช๐ข (The Feathers of Parehuia) at the CSM Function Hall, January 30, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Hosted by Dr. Louise May M. Lim, the workshop kicked off with a warm welcome from Engr. Roberto Neal S. Sobrejuanite, Unit Administrator, who expressed heartfelt gratitude to the guests and participants.
The morning session featured insightful lessons on key cultural concepts, including ๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐ถ๐ฏ๐จ๐ข๐ต๐ข๐ฏ๐จ๐ข, which emphasizes family connections and the importance of community; ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐ฆ ๐๐ฐ๐ณ๐ฆ, a traditional Mฤori game that fosters teamwork; ๐๐ช๐ฏ๐ฆ ๐๐ฆ ๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ช๐ข, celebrating the joy of performance and storytelling in Mฤori culture; ๐๐ช๐ณ๐ช, ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ข๐ฉ๐ช ๐๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฆ ๐๐ถ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฏ๐ข, which showcases expressive movements and vocalizations; ๐๐ฐ๐ช ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ข, a dance that incorporates poi with traditional chants to enhance rhythm and coordination; and ๐๐ฆ ๐๐ข๐ต๐ข๐ต๐ช๐ฏ๐ช, a festival that highlights Mฤori performing arts and allows groups to showcase their talents and cultural heritage.
Following the lessons, participants enjoyed a brief fun game called ๐๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ถ ๐๐ถ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฏ๐ข, which added a lively twist to the morning.
At 11:00 a.m., an open forum session allowed students to ask questions about the tribe's culture, fostering a deeper understanding and connection. This interactive segment emphasized the significance of dialogue in preserving traditions.
After a well-deserved lunch break, the afternoon sessions began with a ๐๐ฐ๐ช Workshop. The girls took the spotlight, singing the ๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฆ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ถ ๐๐ฐ๐ช dance song while demonstrating the graceful art of ๐ฑ๐ฐ๐ช.
Afterward, a ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ข Workshop led by the boys introduced participants to the powerful ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ข dance, featuring chants from the famous ๐๐ข ๐๐ข๐ต๐ฆ. This hands-on experience allowed students to engage actively with Mฤori traditions.
After the loud and lively sessions, the workshop concluded with a campus tour for the tribespeople, who excitedly explored the university's Maritime Museum. Here, they learned about the institution's history and its connection to the maritime heritage of New Zealand.