During the 1953-4 tour of New Zealand, Queen Elizabeth II arrived in Rotorua, a great centre of Māori tradition and culture, where the tribes had assembled in force. The traditional welcome included the haka haka and a poi song, sung by Maori girls. At Arawa Park the royal couple were presented to Māori chiefs and given Māori feather cloaks (kahu kiwi) of brown kiwi feathers. The kiwi bird holds a special significance for Māori - it is symbolic of their elder brothers and sisters, representing protective spirits.

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, often wore their feather cloaks on subsequent visits to the country, notably for the commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1990.