Nau Mai: Haeremai by TU MAI Media Plus Ltd

ISSUE #002 SEPT/OCT 2012

: HAERE-MAI

Welcome to the land of...

KAI WAHO VENTURE IN THE AUSTRALIAN TOP 100

INDIGENOUS TOURISM CONFERENCE

ECOLOGY DIVING AT TATAPOURI

Editorial K

ia Ora!

Thanks one and all for the great feedback on the first edition of Nau Mai. We will continue to make improvements along the way. It has been a hectic three months since we last spoke, having recently returned from China with the Minister of Māori Affairs, Hon Dr Pita Sharples. What a fantastic Ambassador for NZ and Māori Tourism. When I first began in this role, operators made it quite clear that we needed to get Māori experiences further up the value chain and influence the marketing and promotion of NZ, so our focus has been exactly that.

We had numerous meetings in China with travel wholesalers and a couple of airlines. With the Minister at the forefront, Te Puni Kokiri CE, Leith Comer at his side and the dynamic Annette Wehi (Te Matatini) who provided invaluable cultural support for our team. It was difficult to contain our enthusiasm with Māori Inc out in full force including the CE of Poutama, Richard Jones; the Māori Trustee CE, Jamie Tuuta; Kaikoura Whalewatch, Kauahi Ngapora; FOMA CE, Te Horipo Karaitiana and of course NZ Inc which was made up of Tourism NZ; NZ Trade & Enterprise; Immigration and MFAT. Those who know China will know that you do not secure business overnight. It is about building relationships to access markets and while we believe we have made a good start the reality is there is a lot more to be done yet. Most of our tourism websites are still in English and many of our visitors do not have English as a second language. So if your website is your selling tool we may have a bit of a problem especially with growing semi-FIT and FIT markets. I would be interested to hear your views on this, in particular any solutions you may have.

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We welcomed the opportunity to partner with the NZ Olympic Committee (NZOC) to promote Kia ora as our official greeting (to join Aloha and Bula), it’s actually time to own Kia ora make it ours, make it part of our NZ culture our Kiwitanga. Thanks NZOC for taking this Kaupapa to London. We also welcomed and two weeks later farewelled a group of our whãnau from Taiwan. The tourism representatives travelled the breadth of NZ capturing the diverse offering of Māori tourism experiences. The cultural similarities between Māori and Taiwanese, including appearances and language, were uncanny. Talking about diversity, this edition of Nau Mai focuses on the outdoors. A big congratulations to Tom Loughlin and the team at Kai Waho who appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald’s ‘Top 100 Adventures’ (of the World) at a very respectable 35 – Ka mau te wehi! Last words go to Tourism NZ. Check out the Hobbit link: http://www.tourismnewzealand.com/sector-marketing/the-hobbit/. A huge thank you to Ngati Porou, Hauraki Māori Trust Board and Te Arawa. Tis great that we are getting off the beaten track and able to profile places that have not received much attention in the past. Finally to Hiria Hape who provided as always, an awe inspiring karanga for the advertorial. Naumai Haere mai, welcome to the Land of engaging faces and intriguing places

Pania

04 385 1437 | pania@maoritourism.co.nz

Collaboration with Channel 10 Australia N

ZMT recently collaborated with Tourism NZ to host Australia’s Channel 10 film crew on a two week visit to produce a one hour documentary on Māori tourism. The documentary screened on the Network on Saturday 1st September and also played on regional channels throughout the month. As Australians are New Zealand’s No. 1 visitor, the aim is to offer Australians the opportunity to see NZ through Māori eyes and to entice Australians of Māori and Kiwi descent to plan a trip to connect or reconnect. With the documentary limited to 1 hour in duration, this did not facilitate the list of Māori operators, NZMT suggested, however, Channel 10 did chose a variety of businesses that showed the diversity and range of our tourism products and businesses.

The operators Channel 10 chose to feature were Whakarewarewa Thermal Village, Te Puia, Tamaki Māori Village (Rotorua), Māori Tours, Whale Watch (Kaikoura), Shark Nett Gallery Havelock (Marlborough Sounds) and Te Hikoi Māori (Nelson). The footage and interviews captured create a feature that tells a story of a passionate and welcoming Māori tourism industry offering experiences that can be had nowhere else in the world. The crew were impressed not only with the stunning landscapes, but more so, with the stories that operators shared with them. The documentary has drawn positive comments from Māori networks in Australia, and NZMT acknowledges heartfelt thanks to the businesses that invited the crew and NZMT into their space and shared Māori culture with great passion, while promoting Māori Tourism and our industry with professionalism. ■

Inside 04. Kai Waho 06. Indigenous Conference 08. Horse rides at Pakiri Beach 10. Hunting Aotearoa 12. Pa Harakeke & Park 14. Tatapouri Diving 16. Directory

Director Regions and Operations Butch Bradley butch@maoritourism.co.nz Manager Administration Lee Beazley lee@maoritourism.co.nz Accounts and Administration Alyse Lynch alyse@maoritourism.co.nz Liaison Sector and Members Gail Parata gailp@maoritourism.co.nz Trade Adviser David White david@maoritourism.co.nz Director Strategic Partnerships (Acting) John Doorbar john@maoritourism.co.nz NZ Māori Tourism Office PO Box 19-122, Courtenay Place, Wellington 6149 259 Wakefielf Street, Wellington 6011 Tel: +64 4 385 1434

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to the land of flavor...

t was only a matter of time, but after renowned international journalist and travel writer, Anthony Dennis, rated his Kai Waho experience a very respectable 35 (culture & outdoors) and the list of top tourism destinations in the world was published in The Sydney Morning Herald, word is spreading like wildfire. Just three years on from investing significant sweat equity into a vision for a 5,000-acre slice of high country, Māori-owned land in the spectacular countryside of the pristine central plateau, Tom Loughlin is now as well known as his high-end tourism operation, Kai Waho. Having single handedly transformed a humble hunting hut into Tamau Pa and offering indigenous food experiences, not found in many other tourism jewels across the world, has ensured Kai Waho a place that discerning visitors will want to selfishly explore (and no doubt rave about). Visitor numbers might be small per tour, but that’s the idea, one on one hands-on experiences guaranteed to leave the client appreciating the authenticity, knowledge of cultural beliefs and history, as well as kinship – ‘tailor-made’ adventures that offer an intimacy and quality like no other.

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The secret is out! Kai Waho venture in the Australian top 100

From a special ‘hangi for two’ served against a backdrop of stunning native bush, to gathering delicacies like fresh water crayfish, trout or eel in an interactive food experience, Kai Waho cements its place on the books of New Zealand’s premier inbound operators, Ahipara Luxury Travel. The gem of the Kai Waho experience is of course Tamau Pa, which is central to a range of guided walks, traditional eeling, fly-fishing for brown trout and a Sika deer hunting operation. Tom thrives on sharing all of these activities whether it is a one-day or multiple day/night experience. Surrounded by traditional Māori carvings, and nestled away from the concrete environment more familiar to clients, Tom says, many guests leave having made an emotional and holistic connection. Other New Zealand tourism ventures on the Australian top 100 are: at 23, the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre, near Blenheim, noted as “Peter Jackson’s personal aviation museum” and is the first of four New Zealand experiences on the list; Hapuku Lodge and Tree Houses, the five-star luxury eco-lodge north of Kaikoura, was 54th, delivering “wicked standards of comfort” and views of snow-capped mountains, the Pacific Ocean and deer-filled pastures; ranked 71, the one-day hike to Rob Roy Glacier in the Mt Aspiring National Park near Wanaka was recognised as a great day walk. ■

LEFT _ Kai Waho’s wild pork stuffed with pineapple and apricots RIGHT _ Tom Loughlin (Right) relaxes with two guests

The Kai Waho Experience TAUPO p +64 27 290 6581 e tom@kaiwaho.co.nz w www.kaiwaho.co.nz

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to the land of growth...

“For too long Māori operators and Māori businesses were excluded from the development of tourism strategies and marketing campaigns.

Indigenous global experiences the key to authenticity A

rich and valuable community of more than 370 million representing over 5,000 different groups across 70 countries is an indigenous force to be reckoned with.

Attending the inaugural Pacific Asia Indigenous Tourism Conference in Darwin earlier this year were 191 delegates from 16 countries, including Director of Operations for NZ Māori Tourism, Butch Bradley. When asked to explain what measures were being taken to safeguard Māori culture and ensure Māori operators received proper compensation from tourism, Bradley said he felt inclusion was ahead of compensation for many Māori tour operators. “For too long Māori operators and Māori businesses were excluded from the development of tourism strategies and marketing campaigns. Now with the level of investment by Māori into the tourism sector, our inclusion has become a must, plus we are now in a position to independently market our businesses globally in a way that promotes Māori as the brand.”

Butch Bradley Director Regions and Operations

Keynote speaker Anita Mendiratta, Managing Director of CACHET Consulting, spoke about taking a wide-angle lens look at Global Going Native, inviting the wealth of cultures represented to debate the present and future of the growing indigenous tourism sector: “For the indigenous community to play a meaningful part in the tourism sector, creation of indigenous tourism must be approached ensuring that a genuine sense of worth, responsibility, ownership and partnership is embedded between indigenous communities and the tourism industry.” According to Conference Chairman, John King, a vital part of the authenticity of any travel experience is the intimacy of indigenous people, often the true keepers of a nation’s history, heritage, traditions, culture, environment and spirit.

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“Travellers the world over are increasing their voices in wanting to visit places where they can learn from and truly feel the influence of its people,” said King. This supported the situation for Māori tourism experiences that have not been able capitalise on the visitors to New Zealand as well as they might have. “New Zealand has some of the world’s most alluring landscapes, but we are more than a mountain or a river, Māori and our culture are unique to these shores; our culture is treasure,” said Butch in his address, adding the approach is now different. “More and more of our culture, the images of our people and their unique cultural businesses are the focus of marketing campaigns, so now the challenge is to ensure that the essence of our culture is not homogenised, trivialised or cannibalised – the focus is now on Cultural Quality Management.” Having adopted a declaration name from the Aboriginal tribe on whose

traditional land the set of principles were formulated, the Larrakia Declaration on the Development of Indigenous Tourism was unanimously supported at the conference. The World Indigenous Tourism Alliance, including founding indigenous tourism organisations from Australia, Canada, Nepal, New Zealand, Sweden and the United States, was also launched at the conference and will play a key role in the promotion of the Larrakia Declaration. The alliance, initially hosted by the Western Australian Indigenous Tourism Operators’ Council, will be seeking to include other indigenous groups and NZ Māori Tourism has signalled an interest in hosting the conference in 2014. ■ http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/pacific/radio/onairhighlights/maori-tourism-successes-in-nz-a-lesson-for-the-pacific

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W to the land of adventure...

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Riding at Popular Pakiri

anting to diversify from sheep and beef farming and provide employment for their then teenaged children, Laly and Sharley Haddon established Pakiri Beach Horse Rides in 1981. They have seen remarkable growth since. “From the beginning with my children’s two fat ponies, we are now doing daily short treks with 70 horses and ponies, and longer multi-day treks in the summer months,” says Sharley. Their blended family (of Ngati Wai, English, Scottish and Portuguese descent) is committed to principles of spiritual and cultural recognition as an integral part of the way they live and conduct their business – the Pakiri Beach Horse Rides operation. The core horse trekking product is complemented with accommodation. The low-impact, eco-focused tourism business adjoins the southern boundary of Mangawhai Forest Block South. And with family connections to the area for well over 150 years, relationships are well established with the Dept of Conservation, Carter Holt Harvey and Woodhill Forests, Rodney District Council, Auckland City and locals. With more than 27 years in the tourism market, Pakiri Beach Horse Tours has cemented its membership with Destination Northland, Tourism Auckland,

Pakiri Beach Horse Rides WELLSFORD p +64 9 422 6275 e pakirihorses@xtra.co.nz w http://www.horserides-nz.co.nz

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and V.I.N Centres Warkworth, Orewa, Whangarei, Bay of Islands and the Far North. Belonging to the iwi of Ngati Wai and Ngati Manuhiri, local support and knowledge has seen the business become Qualmark Accredited – one of the first outdoor Māori-owned operations to do so. Pakiri Beach Horse Rides has received a regional tourism award and has been the subject of attention for a number of offshore, tourism-focused television documentaries, which have screened both locally and internationally. Media coverage includes several print and web articles. Sharley Haddon has been a runner up in the ‘Her Business’ Awards and Pakiri Beach Horse Rides won the ‘2008 Metro Award for Best in Auckland Horse Riding’, as well as the ‘2009 David Award for The Most Outstanding Lifestyle Business’ and the 2010 Rodney District Council Manaakitanga Award for ‘Outstanding Visitor Attraction Experience’. Pakiri Beach Horse Tours featured as one of two NZ experiences for the BBC publication Incredible Things To Do Before You Die written by Steve Watkins and Clare Jones, which included material from more than 32 different countries. The Conde Nast Travel magazine for wealthy American travellers featured Pakiri Beach Horse Tours on cover with Saffron Burrows star of the movie Troy. Other accolades include being named as a destination on Getaway for Australian Channel 9, as well as, an ‘on location’ site for the movie Sylvia which featured mega star, Gwyneth Paltrow. Currently employing four full-time staff, but supplemented with part-time and casual workers when demand dictates, often sees Pakiri Beach Horse Tours with up to eight employees in the high season. With a strong policy to employ people with sound horse handling skills and experience, as well as excellent people skills, all staff hold current First Aid Certificates and are encouraged to attain their Certificate or apprenticeship in Guiding. Management is ATTTO qualified and safety is prioritised along with the wellbeing of the horses. “It is my mission to provide the wider community with a well supervised, quality, safe, comfortable and enjoyable horse riding experience that is environmentally responsible – amongst some of the best and seldom seen scenery this country has to offer,” says Sharley. ■ SEPT/OCT 2012 | NAU MAI : HAERE-MAI

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to the land of experience...

Walking my Path

never really knew where my path would take me as I grew up in what I thought was paradise in the small east coast settlement of Te Kaha. As young boys, my brothers and I thought the whole world was our playground as we explored every part of the beach, the river, and the bush. We grew up in a house with no hot water and no electricity so as we knew nothing else; it was normal. I remember my mum getting up at 4am every morning to take my dad down to his crayfish boat to go out fishing and coming home to a cold shower no matter the time of year then into her days work. Having three young boisterous boys could not have been easy, but she was an amazing mother and my father was a man not to be crossed who taught us very early on what was expected. Very early on we were taught Te Reo Māori and this was part of our daily lives; as I grew up and moved away I lost touch with this part of my culture to my own detriment. Now in my current job I am able to reconnect with this part of my life and it is a rewarding part of each day as I am getting back to a better Te Reo speaker. I grew up struggling in school and teachers thought I was not as bright as I was good looking – but as it turned out I am dyslexic. I think this was also part of the reason I ended up focusing on my sport as this was a part of my world that I could control and it turned out I had some natural ability that combined with good training and discipline took me to the professional ranks. I was lucky enough to go on and play 15 years of professional sport; one of the many benefits of this lifestyle was the people you got to meet and the places you got to travel to. I remember thinking that going to Opotiki every Saturday was a big deal and that the main street was also a big deal, but moving to Sydney and then travelling the world playing rugby was the real eye opener.

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By Matua Parkinson

The one thing I realised from travelling was how great a place Aotearoa is and that, regardless of what people complain about, this really is a great place to live and for me to bring up my family. Going from Te Kaha to Sydney to play for Canterbury Banks town was a huge step in my world and as a teenager it was like all my Christmases had come at once. As my sporting career developed and I came home to play rugby and ended up representing my country, it was was surreal and unexpected. I never thought I would play for New Zealand, but as it turned out I was the right man at the right time so my dream came true. This taught me and as I tell my boys every day, “You can do anything you want to if you put your mind to it.” This is something that I tell myself each day as I am into my third dream job – professional sportsman, TV Show host on Code and now hosting the country’s premier hunting show Hunting Aotearoa. I know I am blessed having these great opportunities and in my current role it has taken me back to my roots, as I grew up hunting as a 4-year-old with my father and brothers – if we did not hunt, we did not eat. The skills I was taught by my father as a youngster I have taken through my life and as we hunted for the table this is something I have continued to do throughout my life. Hunting Aotearoa has given me the chance to enhance my all-round hunting skills and also to travel across Aotearoa in depth and meet some of the great characters of the country. What I am looking to do is to listen and learn from these amazing people and pass it onto to my boys, who are now coming out hunting with me (when mum allows it). In my first year of the job my te reo has improved 500% and it can only get better; this is filtering through to my everyday life where my boys are now speaking te reo in the house and in school.

To all those young boys and girls out there: believe in what you want to do – take the time to listen and then look to follow your heart. Understand your culture whether you are Māori or not – take time to try each activity and do not give up; the world is a big place and no one can tell you that you cannot do what you dream of. I got to live my dream and my path has taken me to amazing places, and it is not over yet! ■

Hunting Aotearoa is on Māori TV 9:30pm Thursday Nights

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to the land of adventure... P

ureora o Kahu Mountain dominates the skyline over the world-renowned Pureora Forest Park, which adjoins Pa Harakeke; it is a wilderness adventure park offering visitors a unique eco-adventure experience.

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Pa Harakeke Wilderness Adventure Park

Owned and operated by Maraeroa C Incorporation, Pa Harakeke opened to visitors in March 2009 following two years of planning and development. Maraeroa C Incorporation is a Māori owned forestry-based entity with 5,500ha of land in the Pureora region. Tourism forms part of the Incorporation’s diversification strategy, as Pureora is ideally located in the golden triangle between the tourism hotspots of Waitomo, Rotorua and Taupo. Eco- Adventure experiences Pa Harakeke boasts its own 26km mountain bike trail suitable for both cycling and walking, and has the Pureora Mountain on its doorstep for trampers and climbers to take in as a day trip. Guided tours are available by arrangement and include mountain biking, bush walks or mountain treks. All activities incorporate bush food tastings, local Māori and settler history and Māori culture; maps of the area are provided for self-guided tours. The ‘Timber Trail’ opens in November 2012 offering mountain bikers a two-day cycling experience through native forest and views over Lake Taupo and the central North Island mountains. The tree planting experience is popular with visitors. Native trees are selected from the nursery and planted onsite with the guide reciting a prayer during planting, as happened in ancient times. A certificate with a photo of the tree planting and GPS co-ordinates of the tree completes the experience. Historical cultural experience Pa Harakeke also provides a cultural experience featuring a traditional Māori pa (defensive fortification) and Māori village around which a plantation of harakeke (native flax) is growing. Harakeke was used extensively by Māori to provide fibre, food and medicine and Māori villages were often built where groves of harakeke were found. The ‘Harakeke Gallery’ is a must-see and locally made harakeke products can be purchased at the gift shop. The Pa Harakeke Tour is only available by arrangement so planning ahead is necessary. A guided tour of the Pureora region which takes in the giant totara tree site, the buried forest, the bird tower, the Totara Bush Walk and a tour of Miringa te Kakara an ancient wananga or house of learning first built in the 1500s is also available.

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Unique Chalet Accommodation Nestled amongst the native trees and harakeke plants are two uniquely designed two-bedroom chalets with full kitchen facilities. The Māori wharenui (house) style is a unique feature of the chalets and complemented with Māori artwork and carvings. The chalets are well appointed and provide a fantastic place to relax after the days’ adventures with views to Pureora Mountain, the native bush, pine forests and farmland. Priced at $195 per night, the Chalets are available to book as part of a package with any of the tours with discounts applying. Other Facilities Information Services – Local Maps & Brochures Mountain Bike Hire – Full day $35 A Gift Shop – featuring many locally made quality products Coffee Bar – serving a range of coffees and refreshments Campervan Parking – for fully self-contained motor homes Harakeke Gallery – featuring a range of harakeke exhibits ■

Bike riding through Pureora Forest Park

Pa Harakeke TE KUITI, KING COUNTRY p +64 7 929 8708 e maraeroa@maraeroa.co.nz w www.paharakeke.co.nz

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to the land of adventure...

Diving into Ecology R

oad travellers heading north-east from Gisborne are always rewarded by the sweeping views as the road winds its way along the picturesque coastline that cuts inland before rounding a hairpin corner and descending to Tatapouri; a spectacle that is simply breathtaking. A tiny settlement that use to be famous for the sale of fresh crayfish; a place that once visited makes a geographical mark in your memory. Dive Tatapouri’s ‘Reef Ecology Tour’ is also likely to make a mark in one’s memory as it takes visitors on a fascinating and explorative journey of Tatapouri Bay.

The Tatapouri experience is enhanced with stories of local legends and insight into the traditional methods used by Māori to manage the once abundance of natural resources

The business was started in 2000 by Christine and Dean Savage; it offers reef tours with wild stingrays, shark cage diving, surf lessons and other adventure activities from their Tatapouri Bay base. The Dive Tatapouri Reef Ecology Tour brochure describes the fascinating journey to see Nga Tamariki O Tangaroa (the children of the god of the sea) as an… ‘interactive reef tour famous for its wild stingray feeding and is one of the most popular and unique things to do in New Zealand. Once visitors are kitted out in our designer waders, they’ll embark on a reef tour at low tide with our experienced guides.’ During each reef tour, visitors have the opportunity to observe and interact with the natural inhabitants of Tatapouri Bay and even feed wild stingrays! The Tatapouri experience is enhanced with stories of local legends and insight into the traditional methods used by Māori to manage the once abundance of natural resources. With a wealth of local knowledge, Dean is a skipper and qualified diver (with more than 30 years diving experience) and the key host for water activities in the Dive Tatapouri operation. He has spent the best part of 20 years diving at some of the East Coast’s most stunning dive spots, and is willing to share one of his favourite spots – the Aerial Reef. Dean has also been an underwater cameraman for New Zealand’s Tangaroa with Pio TV show for the past ten years, and has filmed in exotic locations all

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over New Zealand, the Pacific and Chile. His underwater footage of local and international dive spots and tourist attractions has been featured on several awardwinning documentaries showcasing these areas to the world. Christine looks after the day-to-day tasks of bookings, catering and travel arrangements while playing an integral role in the local tourism industry as a member of the Tourism Eastland Executive Board. To ensure visitors can travel easily to the slightly remote coastal Tatapouri, Christine and Dean also have a businesses called ‘East As’ and ‘Escape East’: two backpacker bus tours which run from Rotorua to Gisborne and return. This means international visitors can visit the Eastland region to experience the lifestyle and culture on offer, which sometimes includes members of the extended whanau, who help make Tatapouri a place of treasured and long-lasting memories. ■

Dive Tatapouri WHANGARA, GISBORNE p +64 6 868 5153 e divetatapouri@xtra.co.nz w http://www.divetatapouri.com

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