Maori wedding
A Maori wedding with a welcome onto the marae, the pressing of noses and speeches by the two families.
Also: Māori wedding, powhiri, hongi
A Maori wedding may be held on a marae or elsewhere, and often includes elements of Maori protocol: a powhiri welcome with a call, speeches by elders and a waiata, song, to support each speaker. The couple and guests greet by the hongi, pressing noses and foreheads. The bride may wear a korowai, a cloak of feathers, or a pounamu, greenstone, pendant, and a haka may be performed for the couple. A priest may hold a Christian blessing, and the feast is a hangi, food cooked in an earth oven. Practice depends on the iwi and the family.
Region: Oceania