糖心传媒

Visitors to New Zealand often don't know much about the M膩ori, the Indigenous population of these islands, beyond having seen the haka (war dance) performed by the All Blacks rugby team. But we are an entrepreneurial people, who have shared our beautiful culture through tourism for nearly two centuries.

My ancestors were some of the first tour guides in the Bay of Plenty鈥檚 geothermal fields in the mid-1800s, and now it's my turn to share some of the best spots in Aotearoa (New Zealand鈥檚 name in the M膩ori language) with you, so you can add some M膩ori experiences to your list of things to do.

A remarkable range of landscapes and experiences can be found in our small nation, offering something for every traveler and every budget. While the earliest forms of M膩ori tourism primarily showcased natural wonders such as Rotorua鈥檚 geysers, contemporary operators offer diverse experiences to pique your interest 鈥� from enjoying a 丑腻苍驳墨 (earth oven) meal while watching a cultural performance to paddling across New Zealand鈥檚 beautiful waters in a traditional waka (canoe).

Where is the best place to experience M膩ori culture in New Zealand?

You鈥檒l be surrounded by opportunities to immerse yourself in te ao M膩ori (M膩ori culture) from the moment you arrive in New Zealand. I mean that literally 鈥� visitors arriving at Auckland's International Airport are beckoned in with the greeting "Nau mai, haere mai" ("welcome") as they enter through a traditional waharoa (carved M膩ori gateway).

However, the experiences on offer vary depending on the area you visit. The vast majority (85%) of the country鈥檚 nearly one million M膩ori live on Te-Ika-a-Maui (the North Island), and around one-third of the population of regions such as the Bay of Plenty, Hawke鈥檚 Bay and Northland are Indigenous. Likewise, the majority of people in Gisborne Tair膩whiti are M膩ori, making this another good place to experience te ao M膩ori.

The two most famous places to learn about M膩ori culture are both on the North Island. In Northland, the mark the site where M膩ori chiefs and British representatives signed a treaty to establish the bicultural nation of New Zealand in 1840. South of Auckland is the geothermally active town of Rotorua, the setting for many Indigenous encounters, including trips to Whakarewarewa, home of the T奴hourangi Ng膩ti W膩hiao people, who have been hosting visitors in their traditional village for over 200 years.

Despite its smaller M膩ori population, the South Island also offers opportunities to learn about M膩ori culture. The island is known to M膩ori as Te Wapiounamu ("The Greenstone Waters") as this is the country鈥檚 main source of pounamu (jade, or greenstone), used to make decorative objects, jewelry, tools and weapons. Joining a greenstone-carving workshop or taking a with a local M膩ori guide in Hokitika are two rewarding ways to connect with our culture.

Where can I see a M膩ori cultural show?

Across Aotearoa, tourists can attend cultural performances showcasing kapa haka (performing arts), with shows catering to a range of budgets. These are most easily found on the North Island and typically include a display of haka, waiata (songs), 飞补颈补迟补-腻-谤颈苍驳补 (action songs) and moteatea (chants) exploring ancestral narratives.

At sites such as the Waitangi Treaty Grounds and the Auckland Museum, short performances are included as part of the adult entry passes. For the more historically inclined, the multi-sensory show at on Northland鈥檚 magical Hokianga Harbour beautifully explains local narratives about the discovery of Aotearoa by Polynesian explorers)

In Rotorua, the birthplace of M膩ori tourism, half and full-day cultural experiences abound. Te Puia offers ; some shows even include a buffet meal prepared in the traditional M膩ori 丑腻苍驳墨 style 鈥� cooked in earth ovens or using geothermally heated water. You don't have to book a show to enjoy 丑腻苍驳墨-style food at Te Puia's striking restaurant, , where floor-to-ceiling windows offer views of the P艒hutu Geyser. 

Longstanding, family-run  also offers a recreated 辫腻 in a beautiful setting, a 辫艒飞丑颈谤颈 and cultural performance, and a genuine earth-cooked 丑腻苍驳墨. You'll also get to see a waka (canoe) in action.  begins with a visit to a recreated pre-colonial 辫腻 (fortified village) in a bushland setting. What follows is a mixture of the traditional and modern, with a 辫艒飞丑颈谤颈 and performances, plus a contemporary take on M膩ori cuisine.

Only an hour north of Auckland, Te Hana Te Ao Marama Cultural Centre also offers cultural performances.

If you're interested in M膩ori performing arts, time your trip to coincide with , the "Olympics of kapa haka." The next biannual Te Matatini will take place in 2027, so keep an eye on the Te Matatini website and social media for details of the dates and location for the next event which is growing in size and popularity.

Are there more ways to experience M膩ori culture in New Zealand?

M膩ori are not one unified people. Instead, think of our iwi (tribes) and 丑补辫奴 (subtribes) as being more like independent city-states, with practices and traditions varying across the country. For this reason, it鈥檚 worth experiencing what several M膩ori tourism operators have to offer.

While watching kapa haka or eating 丑腻苍驳墨 may be especially memorable, there are many other ways to engage with te ao M膩ori on your holiday. Here are just a handful.

Visit a site of historical or cultural significance

Northland isn鈥檛 just the birthplace of modern New Zealand, it鈥檚 also where many of the first Polynesians settled in Aotearoa, laying the foundations for M膩ori society. The area is rich with sites reflecting this long history. Rangihoua Bay in the Bay of Islands is the first place where M膩ori and European families coexisted; it鈥檚 free to visit and a good place to learn about early 笔腻办别丑腻 (non-M膩ori) settlement.

Cape Reinga, near the country鈥檚 northernmost tip, is where the Pacific Ocean and Tasman Sea meet 鈥� and where some M膩ori believe spirits depart for the afterlife. While you鈥檙e in Northland, take a detour through Waipoua Forest to view T膩ne Mahuta 鈥� a giant, 2000-year-old kauri tree, named after the forest god T膩ne Mahuta because of its strength and stature. While it's free to visit, insightful guided tours can be booked through .

Finally, round out your trip to the region with a stop at Ruapekapeka, Northland鈥檚 most formidable 辫腻 (fortified village) at the time of the British conquest. Today, the remains of this impressive earthwork fortress are free to visit. You don鈥檛 have to leave Auckland to discover M膩ori heritage; in the city鈥檚 , you鈥檒l find an ancient M膩ori garden that includes the archaeological remains of a historic kainga (village).

Attend a M膩ori cultural festival

It doesn鈥檛 matter what time of year you visit 鈥� there鈥檚 always something going on in New Zealand. Summertime visitors should set their sights on the bi-annual T膩maki Herenga Waka Festival, held over the Auckland Anniversary weekend at the end of January. Celebrations include the opportunity to sail a traditional M膩ori boat across Auckland鈥檚 Waitemat膩 Harbour.

Also in Auckland is the , showcasing the best M膩ori and Pasifika performances by school-aged children. The promotes new M膩ori films every March in the small town of 艑taki, near Wellington.

One of the biggest events of the year is February鈥檚 , commemorating the anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. This public holiday is celebrated with events across the country, including at the Treaty grounds in the Bay of Islands.

Sample traditional and contemporary M膩ori cuisine

Set in South Auckland, the sells some of the islands' most authentic kai (M膩ori food). However, M膩ori cuisine isn鈥檛 limited to 丑腻苍驳墨 鈥� here are a few spots to track down other local favorites:

• Head to Auckland's Pasifika cafes such as or for a 丑腻苍驳墨 pie.

• Try in Auckland for local kaimoana (seafood).

• is New Plymouth鈥檚 best spot for "boil-up" 鈥� a M膩ori soup with a pork-bone base, served with fried bread.

• Hit in Wellington for a contemporary and fusion M膩ori kai fix; it's set on the capital鈥檚 wonderful waterfront.

• In the sunny South Island town of Nelson, you鈥檒l find similar M膩ori cooking at .

Experience the night sky through M膩ori eyes

If you arrive in Auckland during the M膩ori new year in June or July, visit the Matariki astronomy show at the observatory. Matariki is one of three constellations that signifies the coming of the new year, and plenty of epic events and fantastic festivals are held across Aotearoa at this time.

Year-round, M膩ori astronomy is explained at on the South Island, widely considered one of the world鈥檚 best stargazing spots because of the absence of light pollution.

Get out into the bush or onto the water with a M膩ori-led tour

A deep connection to the surrounding environment is key to M膩ori culture, and outdoor adventures are a great way to learn more about our culture. You can take a guided hike with the M膩ori-owned up 1111m Mount Tarawera, which violently erupted in 1886, destroying several nearby villages. Or, if you鈥檙e a thrill seeker, the same operator offers whitewater rafting in Rotorua down the Kaituna, Rangitaiki or Wairoa rivers.

There are also opportunities to paddle in a waka (M膩ori-style canoe). lets you glide across the pristine seas of a national park at the top of Te Waipounamu, with journeys starting at Kaiteriteri. Or, you can spend two hours rowing a traditional waka down Wellington鈥檚 waterfront with .

Visit a New Zealand museum

has a fantastic M膩ori court that includes Hotunui, a magnificent carved meeting house, and Te-Toki-a-T膩piri, the last surviving great war canoe (Te R膩, the last known seafaring sail, is on loan to the museum until August 2025). The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa is a must-visit in Wellington to discover M膩ori artifacts, exhibitions and stories 鈥� the Karetao-puoro M膩ori instruments exhibit is particularly memorable.

at the Waitangi Treaty grounds, gives visitors an in-depth understanding of the contribution made by M膩ori fighting for the British Empire during the Great Wars, while the has great displays and exhibitions in the small town of Whanganui.

How can I visit a M膩ori community and what can I expect when I visit a marae?

The hubs of M膩ori communities are marae 鈥� ceremonial complexes centered around wharenui (carved meeting houses). They鈥檙e sacred sites, so you can鈥檛 just waltz onto a marae uninvited. However, if you鈥檙e eager to learn more about M膩ori culture, some marae (including those at Whakarewarewa in Rotorua and Te Hana just north of Auckland) offer guided tours to welcome visitors in a tika (culturally appropriate) way.

As you approach the marae, your hosts will explain what you should expect, including the steps for the 辫艒飞丑颈谤颈 (welcome ceremony) process. 笔艒飞丑颈谤颈 begin with a melodic call from the t膩ngata whenua (hosts) and a response from the manuhiri (visitors), followed by karakia (blessings), waiata (songs) and 飞丑补颈办艒谤别谤辞 (oratory). During this ceremony 鈥� which is undertaken in te reo M膩ori (the M膩ori language) 鈥� men and women are separated, with women entering at the front of the procession but sitting in the back, while men follow behind to enter but sit at the front.

After the ceremony, you may be invited into the wharenui. Before you step inside, it鈥檚 important to keep cultural protocol in mind. Take off your shoes and turn off your phone before heading indoors, and only take photos inside the wharenui if you have permission to do so. If food or drink is served at a marae, it should only be consumed after a blessing and shouldn鈥檛 be taken inside the wharenui. Finally, don鈥檛 sit on tables in the marae or anywhere else for that matter 鈥� it鈥檚 considered offensive.

How else can I demonstrate respect towards the M膩ori culture and people?

M膩ori view the natural environment of Aotearoa as living ancestral deities, so we expect visitors to treat nature with respect. For best practices on how to help preserve and protect the country鈥檚 environment, culture and people as a tourist, read up on the .

Another way to demonstrate respect towards our unique culture is to learn some of our reo (language). We M膩ori consider te reo M膩ori to be our foremost cultural treasure, and learning some simple words and phrases will bring a smile to the faces of M膩ori you meet during your visit. As a general rule of thumb, our language is pronounced with soft vowel sounds, similar to Romance languages, but we like to roll our Rs and words tend to flow together without noticeable gaps between them.

The most common way to say hello is "kia ora," which is also a way to say thank you. However, in the morning you鈥檇 say "尘艒谤别苍补" or "ata m膩rie" to greet someone. To say 鈥済oodbye,鈥� you could say "m膩 te w膩" ("see you later"). However, when you leave Aotearoa, we hope you鈥檒l say "ka kite an艒" ("see you again") instead, as we love to host our visitors time and time again.