We arrive in New Zealand expecting overwhelming natural splendor. We are rewarded with sparkling black-sand beaches, staggering snow-capped mountains, picturesque harbor cities and a soul refreshed by the rare joy of surpassed expectations.

In the land called Aotearoa, however, the ubiquity of epic landscapes is matched by the immediate presence of Māori culture in everyday life. A renewed appreciation for Te Reo Māori has led to growing numbers of Kiwis learning to speak New Zealand’s native language. (Your first lesson: ‘Kia ora’ is ‘Hello’). Traditional Māori art forms like whakairo (carving), raranga (weaving), tā moko (tattooing) and peitatanga (painting) stamp everything from urban streetscapes to art gallery walls with their strong, distinctive style. As Māori are the kaitiaki (guardians) of land, soil and water, their knowledge of taonga (natural resources) is an essential aspect of the nation’s reverence for environmental protection.

A single, stirring practice that has gained international recognition in our digital age is perhaps the most recognizable form of traditional Māori culture, both in New Zealand and the world: the rousing, and oftentimes goosebump-inducing, haka.