A group of students and staff from Hawaii are in the Bay of Plenty to learn more about how Maori welcome their guests.
Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi has partnered with the University of Hawaii - Winward Community College, to bring 28 students and staff to Whakatane this week as part of their studies in rituals of encounter.
Winward, in Kane'ohe, O'ahu, is a campus of the University of Hawaii. The college looked to its long-standing relationship with Awanuiarangi to develop its first study abroad programme for students after establishing an on-campus study abroad centre earlier this year.
Makanani Sala, of the Hawaiian Studies faculty, said Winward consistently had one of the highest percentages of native Hawaiian student enrolments in the University of Hawaii system.
"The opportunity for the college to partner across Polynesia and bring students to Aotearoa is the realisation of a dream over 15 years in the making," Ms Sala said.
"This will be the first trip abroad for the majority of students and serves to create an opportunity to expand their world."
The group of 21 students and seven staff members are being hosted in Whakatane until Wednesday after arriving yesterday. Their study experience will include taking part in and watching the rituals associated with Maori protocol.
A special lecture series has been organised by Awanuiarangi as part of the students' time on campus in Whakatane, and the group will also visit local sites, including Mataatua wharenui and White Island.
