NationStates Jolt Archive

Sir Elton John has been given a rare honor by the Maori community for his continued loyalty to the Polynesian people of New Zealand.

The star, 60, was presented with a specially made bird-feather cloak -- called a Korowai -- by a member of the Ngati Te Whiti sub-tribe on Thursday night, following his concert in the city of New Plymouth.

The accolade is the "Maori equivalent to an Academy Award" and makes John an honorary member of the Ngati Te Whiti, according to the group's chairman Peter Love.

He adds, "(The Korowai) was gifted as recognition of the enjoyment Sir Elton John's music has give to Maori over the years and his loyal continuance to return to Aotearoa (Maori name for New Zealand) to entertain."


(link (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/detail?blogid=7&entry_id=22561))

Just for sheer "odd news" value. :p

Now Bruce, the Maori Interior Decorator has a challenger for the Annual Gayest Maori contest. He's been champion, three years running. :p

Now Bruce, the Maori Interior Decorator has a challenger for the Annual Gayest Maori contest.

I would just LOVE to see that. :D (Surely this Bruce fellow is half-Australian, though? :p)

Lets hope he switches to making traditional Maori music.

What this is for real? Damn, I thought it was some sorta gay slang thing!

hehe, this can't be real. Although I would love to be a "honorary maori", then I could maybe even come close to looking like this:

http://www.hps.com/~tpg/singapore/graphics/nz-maori-haka1.jpg

Maori culture fascinates me. On a semi-unrelated note, I have a Kiwi friend (non-Maori) who knows how to say a few dirty words in the language. :p

Maori culture fascinates me. On a semi-unrelated note, I have a Kiwi friend (non-Maori) who knows how to say a few dirty words in the language. :p

Heh. The only Maori words I know are iwi, hapu, pakeha, whakapapa, turangwaewae, marae, tangata whenua, waka, mana, whanau, wahine... and that's about all. Oh, and "tiriti", but that comes from English. None of them are useful as insults or curses. :p

Heh. The only Maori words I know are iwi, hapu, pakeha, whakapapa, turangwaewae, marae, tangata whenua, waka, mana, whanau, wahine... and that's about all. Oh, and "tiriti", but that comes from English. None of them are useful as insults or curses. :p

Darn. :p

Heh. The only Maori words I know are iwi, hapu, pakeha, whakapapa, turangwaewae, marae, tangata whenua, waka, mana, whanau, wahine... and that's about all. Oh, and "tiriti", but that comes from English. None of them are useful as insults or curses. :p

Any plausible-sounding words that other people won't recognise are potentially useful as insults or curses, because those people won't be able to be sure that they aren't being insulted... ;)

Any plausible-sounding words that other people won't recognise are potentially useful as insults or curses, because those people won't be able to be sure that they aren't being insulted... ;)

You... you... you turangawaewae, you! :D

You... you... you turangawaewae, you! :D
This? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turangawaewae) ;)

This? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turangawaewae) ;)

That's you exactly. :)