Journey to Ruatahuna at the heart of Te Ika-a-Maui – the Heart of Maui’s Fish – the North Island of New Zealand. We are Tūhoe, the original Maori people if this land, known as ‘Children of the Mist’ for we are born of our mountains cloaked in mist. We are a mountain forest dwelling people, guardians of Te Urewera, a vast rainforest region, one of the most remote and pristine parts of New Zealand.
Nau mai! Haere mai! Welcome to our world! We will share with you our traditions and our authentic way of life in a special mix of experiences of our people, our history, our marae, our forests, our rivers, our sites of significance and our beekeeping and forest restoration initiatives.
You will arrive in Ruatāhuna and will be welcomed onto one of our many marae in our region. You will be joined by a guide to explain procedure and to assist you in engaging in the formal marae welcome. You will have the opportunity to participate in proceedings (with guidance of course), and to not just be an onlooker. After the pohiri (welcome), you will enjoy lunch in a marae setting.
