One of the most exciting traditions in New Zealand that I have seen is the Haka. It’s a traditional Maori dance that was used to show strength. Today, it is generally used in the mainstream to open rugby matches or at tourist destinations to show visitors the cultural history of New Zealand. It is still highly valued by Maori as part of their culture and is very well preserved. When I first arrived in Auckland we had a group perform the Haka for orientation and my friend is in a class that learns the traditional songs and dances. The dress is very colorful and unique to the history here.
Rugby is the biggest sport here, which is very different from the States. I hadn’t seen a professional game before coming to New Zealand but now I have been to a game in person and watched the state of origin tournament game a few nights ago. The atmosphere is just as intense as it is with Boston sports, which is really exciting. Rugby is much more aggressive than American football so the fans are similarly more dedicated and rowdy.
There is also a ton of concerts held right next to my residence. They draw much larger crowds since artists don’t come to New Zealand as frequently as they do U.S. tours. The tickets to see Ed Sheeran for any of his 3 shows for April 2018 are already sold out. These are just some of the differences with pop culture that are different for a smaller, isolated country.
