Word: maori
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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...most unusual opening in the 114-year history of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The ceremony began at the unaccustomed hour of 6:32 a.m. on the vast expanse of steps fronting New York City's most venerable art institution. There, five Maori women lifted their voices in unison with the rising sun and intoned the karanga, a ritual call of welcome. Instantly, a booming responsive chant was heard to echo from a block up Fifth Avenue, where a group of Maori tribesmen had forgathered. Then up the steps they came: 90 Maori dignitaries, some I with albatross feathers...
When the visitors from New Zealand reached the museum entrance, they touched noses, Maori-style, with their waiting American hosts. These included J. Richardson Dilworth, the Metropolitan's chairman, and officials of the American Federation of Arts, which organized the exhibit of Maori sculpture, and the Mobil Corp.. which helped pay for it. The ceremony ended with a tour of the show by tribesmen, who paused and prayed before each major piece of sculpture and offered incantations...
...royal ball at Melbourne's Hilton hotel, she stopped conversation dead by making her entrance in a shimmery, ice-gray gown cut daringly deep across one shoulder. At Auckland's Eden Park, Diana elicited squeals of delight from 35,000 schoolchildren when, with three Maori teenagers, she joined in the hongi, the traditional Polynesian greeting of pressing noses. Prince Charles, meanwhile, was nearly relegated to the role of spear chucker. A native warrior thrust a ceremonial spear at him and asked if he came in peace. The prince quickly replied that...