Join experienced Kaiarahi (host guides) on a tour to uncover cultural and historic sites of significance and develop a unique connection to Tāmaki Makaurau. Walk through Tiriwa's ancient forest, discovering the significance of indigenous flora and fauna in Māori culture; visit the West Coast’s black sand beaches, or explore the city’s volcanic landscape and iconic landmarks.
Haka The Legend's arts troupe 'Raukura' provides Māori cultural performances at the Auckland Museum and is also available for private performances, cultural advice and tutoring. The troupe offers a lively journey through the story of Aotearoa New Zealand and Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. Experience beautiful Māori song and dance, face a fearsome haka and learn about traditional Māori weapons.
One of Auckland’s newest Marae (Māori meeting grounds) is situated in parklike surroundings in Point Chevalier, only 10 minutes’ drive from Auckland’s CBD. Te Māhurehure Marae Conference Centre can cater for up to 300 people for conferences, private functions, and trade shows. Facilities include a fully equipped commercial kitchen, sleeping quarters for up to 150 people, and plenty of parking.
Create your own taonga (treasure) under the expert guidance of established Māori artists. Learn about Māori arts and Indigenous contexts and connections in these Māori Tikanga (custom) based workshops and leave having crafted your own beef bone pendant or pounamu (New Zealand jade) pendant. All materials and machinery are provided, and lunch & light refreshments included.
Te Ihu o Mataoho Tours is a social enterprise which offers a range of interactive educational tours and workshops using Indigenous storytelling to better understand Māori history and culture. Te Ihu o Mataoho champions regenerative practice and enriches your connection to people, land and sea. Nestled alongside the Manukau Harbour, it is a 5 minute drive from both the Southwestern Motorway and the Auckland International Airport.
The Haka Experience delivers purposeful Māori cultural experiences, kapa haka (song and dance) performances, traditional welcomes and cultural workshops designed specifically for your exclusive event. Its Haka on the Park experience culminates in the learning and performance of a rousing haka, a ceremonial war dance, on the iconic turf of Eden Park, New Zealand's national sports stadium.
Located one-hour north of Auckland, Te Hana Te Ao Marama offers a variety of authentic Māori cultural experiences. Take a tour of its traditional Māori village and model Pa (fortified village) site to experience a unique 17th Century insight into pre-European Māori life. Its experience package includes a pōwhiri (Māori welcome ceremony), buffet Hāngi (Māori cuisine) lunch, village tour and Māori cultural performance.
Auckland Museum acts as kaitiaki (guardian) for an outstanding collection of Māori taonga (treasures). Explore the collection on a guided tour with a curator to gain an understanding of Māori culture and history, dating back to Māori arrival and settlement. You can also experience a glimpse of Māori culture in an interactive cultural performance, culminating with a spine-tingling version of the haka.
Navigate the waters of Tāmaki Makaurau on a waka houroa, a Māori ocean-going canoe, and master traditional navigation techniques with Te Toki Voyaging Trust. This unique opportunity to experience the voyaging practices of New Zealand’s Pacific ancestors isn’t just a hands-on sailing experience, but a chance to be immersed in the rich histories and stunning scenery of thex surrounding area.
Hui Te Ananui a Tangaroa (New Zealand Maritime Museum) offers a world-class display of replica Polynesian voyaging waka. Learn about the different techniques, shapes and designs of the waka used to discover the islands of the Pacific, including Māori waka and other taonga. Navigate the pioneering voyages of discovery and settlement that shaped the early history of New Zealand.
Explore Aotearoa New Zealand’s amazing fauna and flora in Te Wao Nui and the important role it plays in te ao Māori. From the iconic kiwi to the tuatara, Te Wao Nui showcases more than 100 native plants and more than 30 native species in six stunning habitats. Home to some of Aotearoa’s rarest and most threatened wildlife, it invites us all to play a role in protecting te taiao (the environment) for our unique wildlife and wild places.
Discover an inspiring visual arts experience and journey through New Zealand’s unique bi-cultural history. From majestic kauri columns adorned with carvings by one of New Zealand’s master Māori artists; to Reuben Paterson’s Guide Kaiārahi, a 10-metre-high waka made of iridescent crystals; to portraits of Māori chiefs, learn about the country’s leading Māori and Pākehā artists and key artworks.
This interactive journey through the New Zealand rugby story showcases Māori culture and history with the same respect that is paid to the game of rugby. See the precious mauri stone which embodies the team spirit and offers them protection in their travels and on the field. Experience the power of the haka, which is of immense cultural and traditional importance to Māori.
Let mana whenua (local people) guide you on walking tours that reveal the volcanic origins of the mountain and explore the history of settlement and cultivation on its fertile slopes. Journey through time and hear stories about the first inhabitants, see evidence of early habitation, from terraces where kūmara were grown to ancient food storage pits, and visit the site of the last battle on Māngere Mountain.
Hāngi Tuturu is a 7-hour cooking process using a time-honoured ancestral practice to heat rocks with manuka timber, then bury the food in the earth to cook a delicious meal which takes on the flavours of the earth and the smokiness of the timber. Hāngi Master Rewi can offer workshops on Hāngi from digging the pit to weaving the kai (food) baskets, preparing the food and learning the cultural practices of Tikanga Hāngi.
Let environmental educator Riki Bennett be your guide to learning more about mahinga kai (food gathering) and traditional Māori food sources. To Māori, food gathering is a natural part of contributing to the table, working within the seasons and what food resources are on offer from the natural environment. Embark on an Urban Forage to identify a range of edible plants, leaves and other traditional native plant uses.
Dave “The Brown Buttabean” Letele is of Māori and Samoan heritage and is a motivational speaker agitating for positive change. Drawing on his own experiences growing up around criminal activity, to playing rugby league all around the world and becoming a professional boxer, he is now a respected community leader who shows that negative cycles can be broken, with the right support, good people, and dedication.
Meet Dane Tumahai, Ngāti Whātua guide, at Ōrākei Marae for a tour of Tāmaki Makaurau’s cultural history. Walk towards Bastion Point as dawn breaks for a Karakia (prayer used to invoke spiritual guidance and protection) before learning the significance of the area to his people. Visit Te Pane o Horoiwi (Achilles Point) to view the three carved pou (posts); ascend Mt Eden for a final Karakia to send you safely on your travels.
Writer, photographer, exhibiting artist, māma, social activist, public speaker and champion of Indigenous female change-makers - Qiane is a creative, multi-media storyteller grounded in Indigenous values. With a speciality working in Māori and Pasifika spaces, her goal is to amplify the stories of marginalised people and their communities so we can change the narratives of future generations.
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