New Zealand’s First
Just as the Aborigines were the first inhabitants of Australia, much of New Zealand’s cultural heritage comes from our indigenous Maori people. Feel the spirit embrace you as you discover the Birthplace of the Nation
A visit to Northland would not be complete without some form of understanding of the heritage of this beautiful nation.
While the Aoteoroa (Land of the Long White Cloud) New Zealand today is a land of many cultures, the indigenous roots of the land belong to the Maori people, whose iwi (tribes) trace their ancestry back to the great Polynesian explorer Kupe.
Northland iwi claim the first landfall of Kupe's waka (canoe) was on the shores of the stunning Hokianga Harbour on Northland’s west coast.
Many of the oldest traces of Maori settlement, or kainga, can be found in Northland and the many stories and myths that moulded this wonderful land are still being told.
The coming together of two cultures
The Maori people of Northland wear their culture with pride, and enjoy bringing their history and culture alive. Anywhere you go in Northland, you will find a story of our past, and whether it be through one of the many intricate bone carving necklaces or one of the visual shows, museums, waka trips or night walks in virgin native bush, the spirit of the people of the land will embrace you.
New Zealand is a unique country and if you care to take a stroll down Northland’s rich pathways, you will gain an insight into the coming together of two cultures, the Maori and the European.
To appreciate and learn about Northland’s culture and heritage, there are many museums to be enjoyed and journeys to be taken.
The Waitangi Treaty Grounds overlook the stunning Bay of Islands and was where the historic signing of the Treaty of Waitangi (between Maori and the British Crown) took place in 1840.
It costs just $25 for international visitors to explore the Treaty Grounds, entry is free for New Zealand residents (ID required). Entry can be extended over two days, plenty of time to view the Maori taonga (treasures) – such as the amazing ceremonial Maori waka (canoe), which requires a staggering 76 paddlers to handle safely on the water; the Te Waimate Mission House, the only survivor of three mission houses built in 1832; or the carved meeting house representing all the iwi (tribes) of New Zealand.
On February 6 each year, New Zealanders celebrate our national Waitangi Day, with many people travelling from all around the country to join the many celebrations and discussions in the treaty grounds.
Culture North
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In the evenings, the Culture North Night Show transports guests back 1000 years then forward again to the 19th century and the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. Set in the meeting house and told through the eyes of a grandparent and his grandson, the show combines Maori culture, live drama, sound and lights.
Nearby, the happy and sometimes tragic stories of a unique spiritual relationship between the Waitangi River and Northland’s Ngapuhi Maori are told from aboard a 50-foot traditional Maori Waka along the peaceful and tranquil waters of the Waitangi River and Haruru Falls.
The Ngapuhi tribe is the largest group of Maori in the country and on this, their spiritual journey, you will visit a traditional Maori Marae, experience the traditional Maori welcome, learn Ngapuhi songs and chants as well as indulge in picture perfect river scenery.
Taiamai Tours
For an even more intimate Maori experience, Taiamai Tours also offers a Maori Cultural Evening with a difference, where a small group are shown on to a Marae, given a traditional Maori welcome (whakatau) and a hangi dinner (ancient Maori method of cooking using super heated rocks buried in the ground in a pit oven, followed by a long relaxing soak in Ngawha Springs’ soothing geothermal mineral pools.
Europeans came to New Zealand on voyages of exploration in the late eighteenth century, followed by traders, whalers and sealers. Kauri gum and Kauri logging were some of the initial drawcards for migration with missionaries heading the next wave of arrivals.
Some evidence of the missionaries can be found in Kerikeri, the largest town in the Bay of Islands, where two of the longest standing buildings of their kind in New Zealand - the Mission House and Stone Store – can still be explored. Nearby are the remains of an old 1840s farmstead, Edmonds’ Ruins, and Rewa’s Village, a reconstruction of a Maori fishing village.
Footprints Waipoua
Over in the beautiful Hokianga, history of a different kind can be found, with Footprints Waipoua taking people on a journey through nature's stages of evolution, whilst providing a mythological and interactive interpretation of life in the beautiful Waipoua Forest, where the mighty kauri trees, Te Matua Ngahere (The Father of the Forest) and Tane Mahuta (The Lord of the Forest) will overwhelm you with their sheer size and beauty.
Tane Mahuta is New Zealand’s largest known living kauri tree, believed to be between 1250 and 2500 years old, and measures 13.77 metres round with a height of 51.2m. According to Maori mythology, Tane is the son of Ranginui, the sky father and Papa-tu-a-nuku, the Earth Mother.
The Maori people believe that all creatures and natural resources are descendants of Tane Mahuta and Tangaroa (God of the Sea).
For more information of the history of our kauri forests, and to view some amazing kauri exhibits, a visit to The Kauri Museum in Matakohe, is a must.
There are many museums scattered throughout Northland, each with their own slice of history and artifacts, like the Waipu Museum offering a remarkable insight into the history of this beautiful land.
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