ABSTRACT

Cultural transformation of the visited societies is a frequently mentioned effect of tourism, especially from the so-called developed into the developing countries. The present study examined the extent to which Maori cultural performances have been changed overtime by drawing on existing literature and interviews with a number of different Maori groups. The results indicates that indeed the cultural performances have evolved over time although many of these changes came with the early exposures to tourists and different culture. The marae-based (village) performances tend to be more traditional in nature as compared to those performed in tourist venues par excellence, the hotels.