Morris dancing on the Maunga

Happy May Day! Morris dancers gathered on the summit of Maungawhau at dawn today, and performed energetic jigs and stick dances to the accompaniment of an accordion, squeeze box, fiddle, drums, guitar and Irish wooden flute.

Those wearing the felt admiral hats are from the City of Auckland Morris Dancers. The chaps in the top hats drove up overnight from Wellington, and a man crowned with fruit and flowers had come from Brisbane.

There weren't as many spectators as in past years, we're told, but the Friends of Maungawhau contingent included many of our core weeding group plus Audrey, organiser of this year's Love Your Mountain Day who'd biked up from the CBD.

A beautiful morning, with the Southern Cross fading low in the western sky and the sun rising above the trig station.

More photos here: Picasa album

Chrsitine Major: Morris dancer, botanist, and regular volunteer
with the Friends of Maungawhau weeding group.

FoM chair Kit Howden and wife Meg McMillan
with Morris dancers Andy Smith and Christine Major