A Thoroughly Modern Maori

Chuck and I always search for the authentic and unspoiled scenes in our travel destinations. So we were understandably thrilled when our New Zealand host John offered to introduce us to a local Maori (indigenous people, like Hawaiians in Hawaii) family.
We were asked to dress respectfully for the occasion. That meant a skirt for me and long pants for Chuck (instead of our usual REI travel shorts). Then we drove an hour to the house.
We were greeted with loud Maori calls upon arrival. The caller was a white man sporting spandex Nike shorts, flip flops, and a crew cut. Could this be our Maori host?
Our host (yes, it was him) gave us grand tour of the beautiful wooden Maori meeting house, called a marae. We were fascinated to see the oil portraits of his Maori ancestors, complete with feather headdresses, dark brown skin and full tattoos on the faces of his female relatives. I wondered how these could be his relatives when he looks just like us.....
The next event was a family get together on the porch of his house. He introduced his wife, Trieste (named after the Italian city) who was dark skinned but wore white shorts. When offered a glass of bourbon, Chuck of course said "yes." He was a bit surprised when given a canned drink reading "Bourbon" on the side of the can.
Next, two cousins arrived in full black leather on a Harley Davidson motorcycle. His female Maori cousin sported a bleached blonde bob and her partner wore a gray goatee. They both ordered beer and proceeded to join the party, regalling us with stories.
The next hour was full of jokes and funny family stories, just like any family would tell. We were fully included and joined in with criticisms of the Bush Administration. They knew the latest world news, unlike us backpacking travelers. We were given warm farewells, complete with a nose rubbing (called "hangi"). At least we got one traditional Maori experience!

So, what is the moral of this story? Maybe I carry around too many stereotypes of native cultures. Maybe the reach of modern media is so pervasive that we all look and act a lot alike. Or maybe families all over the world act pretty much the same and enjoy a laugh and a drink with friends regardless of their background or ethnicity.

That's all folks! From Okarita, New Zealand.
Gay
What is the moral