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The parade of the canoes, with each representing a different nationality, was quite a pageant. The native dress was quite different, and quite colorful, and their dances and songs very distinctive. I'm sure everyone has observed the difference between the soft swaying and magical hand movements of the Hawaiian Hula, and the wild energy of the Tahitian Hula. Well, the traditional dances of the other nations are a beautiful array which spans the gulf between those two. There are a lot of photographs, so I will combine pair up many of them into groups of two or four, so that I can get them in without boring you to much.

The parade of canoes began with Hawai'i and the Royal Court. The costumes are impressive and very distinctive.

The Aotearoa, or Māaori group from New Zealand, however, performed an exciting dance using poi balls.
They can really make that poi fly. I missed the tattooed faces of the warriors though. They are fierce.

When in Nice recently, I saw this magazine advertisement during our walk through the city, and
could not resist taking a photograph of it. I'm sure it was just makeup, but it certainly captures the
fierceness of the Māaori warrior. All he needs to do is make his eyes bulge and stick out his tongue.

The Samoans also performed a lively dance, and it was obvious that they were having a good time.

Next came the Fiji Islanders. I was beginning to get the feel for the differences between the distinctive cultures.

This brings back a memory from many years past. It was my very first trip to New Zealand, and believe it our not, Pan Am was still in business back then. I flew Pan Am from San Francisco to Auckland, and we stopped in Fiji to refuel the plane. We were allowed to leave the plane during the refueling, and the plane was still very cool inside from being at altitude. When I reached the cabin door it was like entering an oven. There was no modern terminal with giant tubes which connected you directly between the plane and an air conditioned terminal, just stairs leading down to the tarmac, and a 200 yard walk in the blazing sun to a building which was *not* air conditioned, but it was at least out of the sun. In addition to this, before leaving San Francisco, there was an electrical problem in the cockpit, and it took them six hours to repair it. When we finally became airborne, the captain announced over the PA that because of the long delay, all cocktails were free. In the back 4 rows of the plane there was a gaggle of Australians. The stewardesses were so overwhelmed with the orders for drinks, especially from the back of he plane, that after several hours, they enlisted the help of children to deliver the drinks. For my first international flight, it was quite an experience. I miss Pan Am. LOL

Next the Hawaiians performed a series of dances using their feathered gourds. It was rhythmic and soothing.

The Tahitians were stunning in their golden dress, and there is no doubt about it, they can REALLY shake their tush.

The Māaori are a very interesting people. Their customs and traditions are quite different from western cultures.

The New Zealand Coat of Arms, to me, conveys a subtle message, one of conflict and
confrontation, although I'm sure that was not the intent of the designers, it is subtle.

Over the years I've acquired an interest and passion for New Zealand. I've read much of it's history, and in a sense, I feel a great sorrow for the fate of the Māaori people, much as I feel the same sorrow for the fate of the American Indian. Whether it is right or wrong, I can't say, but western culture fell upon these nature loving and harmonious people, aside from their waring tendencies, and changed them in ways that has caused their heritage and culture to almost vanish from the face of the earth. And the result is that today, both in the United States, and in New Zealand, the native peoples periodically rise up in an effort to reclaim some of what has been taken from them. To me, this is sad. This is why I see confrontation in the Coat of Arms. The European woman and the Māaori Chieftain face each other. They do not look ahead to the future. In Māaori tradition, their Tikanga, their past if always in front of them for guidance. The future is behind them because few can know what the future holds. It has been said that those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it. That seems to be our lot at the moment, politically and economically speaking. But I am verging off course. Back to the travelogue.

Now for some shots of the Hale Koa, and some of its amenities.

The Hale Koa has two towers. Pete going up to ours. This is the second tower as viewed from the the street.

A view of the large and luxurious lobby. Leaving the lobby, going to the pool area, and beach.

One of several very large Banyan trees on the property. The first pool area. I think there are three.

The second pool area which Pete and I enjoyed. This is the Bare Foot Bar, a very cool place.

At the Bare Foot Bar we ordered a couple of frosty drinks . . . Then we ordered a couple of Back Scratchers. LOL

The sun is setting in the West, and it is time for us to return to our room and get ready for dinner. So far it has been a beautiful vacation, and we are looking forward to visiting the Arizona Memorial and going aboard the USS Missouri, The Mighty MO, but that will have to wait until the next chapter.