Visit to Papawai Marae

On Tuesday morning we all met at school our Japanese students came with us to our classrooms. We introduced them to our class. We did some class work together. Aoi wrote peoples names in hirigana (Japanese writing).
Later we met with all the students to learn the waiata and haka together. We taught them Ko Wairarapa, E Rere taku poi and E toru nga mea. They learn very quickly because Japanese is a lot like Maori with its sounds. Atsushi was really good at leading because he was really loud!

After lunch we got in the bus and went to Papawai Marae in Greytown. We were welcomed in by a lady doing karanga. We all went inside and learnt about Papawai.
We had to do the haka really well before we could have a feed. We went in for our kai. We had hangi!! Aoi tried the hangi but didn't really like it.
I mopped up the floor after everyone had finished, Stacey (Sidneys Mum) was wiping down the tables. She saw that where all the NZ kids had eaten it was really messy but where the Japanese kids had eaten there was only a little bit of pepper on the table.
We learnt the Sasa while we were at the Marae but Aoi has told me that girls don't do the Sasa in Japan - but I really liked it it was fun.