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Location / Nearby Mataatua: The House That Came Home
Description
After more than 130 years away, Mataatua Wharenui - New Zealand's only repatriated and most travelled Maori meeting house - stands once again as the unifying soul of the Ngati Awa (one of the Maori tribes of the Bay of Plenty) New Zealand. Built in 1875, it travelled to Sydney, Melbourne, Victoria & Albert Museum and South Kensington Museum (London), Dunedin and Otago (South Island) before being rebuilt back in its place of origin, Whakatane, in 2011. Your journey at Mataatua (The Face of God) will Ignite the Soul within, as you discover the extraordinary story of the house that has travelled through time. Mataatua is a living and breathing being and our experience provides an opportunity for intimate engagement with the people of Ngati Awa. Be enthralled as the carvings and legends of Ngati Awa are brought to life through world-class digital technology. A spine tingling experience, HIKO; Legends Carved in Light, is the 2011 GOLD Nga Aho award winner from the New Zealand Designers Institute.
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Image Mataatua: The House That Came Home
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andreajennynz
⏳ 12-2021
4.3
Tino Pai
Professional and extremely informative experience. The mana of this house and it’s whanau really shines through. Deliciously refreshing kawakawa tea, excellentMaori bread, and moreish Kumara brownie. Highly recommended.
Latimers
⏳ 12-2021
4.8
Takes bookings for tours that don’t exist!
We booked online for a 10:00 am tour on Saturday. When we got there there was nobody else there and the place was totally locked up.
Not a good look!
Not a good look!
Kirsty P
⏳ 12-2021
4.7
So informative
Can’t speak highly enough of the staff and the tour I did at ‘Mataatua’ today. I’m not a foreign tourist - so was seeing it from a ‘Kiwi ‘point of view. The staff were friendly and welcoming - the tour itself was well worth the $, interesting and informative, I knew so much more about the early Maori history of the area and of the wharenui itself by the end of it. The light show is just amazing and the snack at the end delicious.
Ken S
⏳ 12-2021
4.8
Probably the best
We arrived with no booking and were the only people in the visitor centre which is beautifully laid out with helpful and knowledgeable staff available but never pushy.
We booked the tour later that day and found when we got back there were just the two of us. Thought it might be a bit awkward but the genuine welcome and the personality of the guide made it such a lovely experience.
Add the way the history is presented, the audio visual history, the bread, cake and tea, the complete lack of commerciality and the beauty of the house and you have the perfect way to spend a couple of hours.
We didn’t go to any other Maori experiences while in NZ, why go somewhere inferior after this?
We booked the tour later that day and found when we got back there were just the two of us. Thought it might be a bit awkward but the genuine welcome and the personality of the guide made it such a lovely experience.
Add the way the history is presented, the audio visual history, the bread, cake and tea, the complete lack of commerciality and the beauty of the house and you have the perfect way to spend a couple of hours.
We didn’t go to any other Maori experiences while in NZ, why go somewhere inferior after this?
Vee
⏳ 12-2021
4.9
Amazing!
This is a spectacular wharenui and what an amazing tour to match. The tangata whenua were so warm and welcoming. The culture, the history and the learning about this wharenui and the tangata whenua is just amazing. I Highly recommend to visit this beautiful, historic one of a kind place. I honestly can’t stop thinking about what a spectacular amazing place is it.
Margo Peter Robin & Jason
⏳ 12-2021
4.7
Best Maori experience
We were so welcomed by Tome our host, as we were formally introduced to their ancestral home. A delight to say the the least.
retiredbutnotexpired
⏳ 12-2021
4.9
A must visit!!!
Fortunately, this was our very first Maori experience, and it was very personal and moving. Highly recommend!! I think any other more commercialized Maori experience will pale in comparison.
Nicole B
⏳ 12-2021
4.6
Number one thing to do in Whakatane!
Grant N
⏳ 12-2021
4.8
We didn’t have time to do the tour
If you are looking to learn more about the culture and history of the Maori people this spectacular tour will leave you speechless. I had no idea what to expect, and while I won’t share everything I learned I can tell you the light show was one of the highlights of the experience. The people who work there are so genuine and authentic - I felt completely welcomed into their home. Also, if you pick the longer tour (I recommend it) know that they will feed you a light snack at the end of the tour. Culturally significant and historically important, this was my favorite thing to do in Whakatane.
View map go to Mataatua: The House That Came Home
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