He kotuku rerenga tahi - A white heron flies once
Kia ora,
With less than five weeks until the World Indigenous Tourism Summit, spaces are filling up fast, with delegates attending from countries including Nepal, Chile, Canada, Fiji, Australia, Japan, Taiwan, the USA, and of course New Zealand. If you have yet to register, or your friends and colleagues are still deciding, now is the time! Read more here.
We're looking forward to seeing many of you soon.
Ngā mihi, nā,
NZ Māori Tourism and WINTA
Speaker profile
Hone Mihaka (Nga Puhi) is the Principal Director of Taiamai Tours Heritage Journeys, an award-winning Māori tourism company based in the Bay of Islands.
In 2001 he set out to do something different. To offer travellers to New Zealand indigenous experiences that are far from the normal Māori cultural performance and hangi dinner type cultural tourism experience. The company offers water themed activities utilising traditional customs on board 50ft Māori canoes, reliving stories that have been passed from fathers to sons, mothers to daughters since time began, in the Northland or rather North Auckland, (Te Hiku o te Ika) region in New Zealand. His expert knowledge of his ancestral cultural landscapes is coupled with his other interest in protecting Papatuanuku promoting “a land of living landscapes” which continues to sustain its many tribal nations.
Northland Tourism Experiences
There are plenty of opportunities for you and your family to explore what Northland has to offer. The people, history, culture, nature and beaches are incredible, providing envy-inducing social media posts for those back home! Check out these famil options that Summit attendees are able to purchase both pre and post Summit (more will be added to the website soon!)
Tu Tika Tours: Experience the warmth of true Māori hospitality with an extravaganza of traditional Maori tikanga practices including art, kai/food, and history sharing. Meeting our iconic Kiwi and Tuatara at our Kiwi House will be a highlight.
Papatuanuku Earth Mother Tours: You'll be taken on a one hour guided tour of the Oromahoe Kauri Forest and how Māori use the natural world to live, heal, and to nourish and support their families. After the forest walk you will visit the Kawiti Glow-worm Caves. Light refreshments will be served and you'll be taken on a historical guided tour through the caves by Tangata Whenua (the people of the land).
Stay Native Tours: Join local Māori for an overnight marae stay where we will pick you up and immerse you in a rich cultural experience. We will share with you our culture through a range of tours of the local land, as well as a range of interactive workshops and activities all under the roof of our sacred whare or meeting house.
Whispering Trails: When you venture into our environment, our home, it is the whispers of our ancestors that you hear. It is their history, stories, thoughts and memories that guide us. We would like to share these with you. Once you hear and learn about our connection to the land and environment you will better understand our culture. In a time of technology and urban city lifestyles we invite you to join our world of simplistic beauty.
Those of you who have already secured your place at the Summit will be emailed soon to select famils you wish to be a part of - keep an eye on your inbox and get in quick as for many, places are limited!
