Marae Stays - Overnight at Motuti

The ultimate New Zealand cultural experience waits at Motuti Marae, on the picturesque Hokianga Harbour. Join the local Maori community for an authentic overnight stay on the marae.

MARAE ACCOMMODATION

Stay at Motuti Marae in the beautiful historic Hokianga Harbour and experience authentic marae accommodation. This overnight marae stay allows you to become part of the whanau – family, at Motuti.

You will be met by a guide who will explain the traditional powhiri – formal Maori welcome before enjoying local kai – food – including traditional Maori bread, Motuti honey, homemade jams and fresh fruit.

Staying on a marae means you are welcomed as manuhiri – visitors – but you become a member of the whanau and stay in the Whare hui – meeting house – with members of the marae and local Motuti community.

Marae history and the significance of the Maori carvings, tukutuku panels and rafters are explained.
You are invited to learn traditional Maori flax weaving; poi making; tititoria – stick games, mau rakau – traditional Maori defense and attack moves with a traditional Maori weapon; wood carving; and bone carving.

A waiata kete – weaving song – and waiata poi – poi song are part of the cultural experience when you learn the traditions of flax weaving and poi making. The cultural significance of Maori carving will be explained as you create a simple design and use bone or wood carving tools to create your own piece of Maori art.

Your Maori cultural experience includes an afternoon filled with traditional Maori activities. Traditional Maori kai – food – is available for dinner as well as the best locally grown produce.

No marae stay is complete without an evening of waiata, haka and a performance by you as manuhiri – visitor – to the marae and a traditional Maori Kapa Haka performance by tangata whenau – hosts.

The evening ends with a karakia – prayer – as Marae tradition and part of the sharing of the community. Guests and hosts sleep in traditional Maori cultural style – on mattresses on the floor of the meeting house.

The marae stay ends the following morning with fresh, local kai and your help to put the marae in order before a formal whakawatea – farewell.

Make a pilgrimage to historic Hata Maria Church, the final resting place of Bishop Pompallier, the founder of the Catholic faith in New Zealand.

Where: Motuti Marae, Motuti on the picturesque Hokianga Harbour
When: Tuesdays and  Thursdays from 12pm
Cost: Adults $150 per person; Children 6 to 17yrs $80.00 per person. Children 5 years old and under FREE (must be accompanied by an adult).

BOOKINGS ARE ESSENTIAL, rates are valid until 31 March 2010 and are subject to change.

There is no minimum number requirement for a marae stay and the marae can cater for up to 200 guests and sleep 100 in the Whare hui- meeting house.
Transport is available from the Kohukohu Car Ferry Depot and the Waterline Café Kohukohu to the Motuti marae at a cost of $20 per person. Bookings are essential.

PLEASE NOTE BOOKINGS FOR ALL VISITS ARE ESSENTIAL