Some places are visited. Others are felt.

Walk with ahi kaa through the living story of Ihumaatao. 

Our whenua. Our stories. Shared with you.

At Te Ihu o Mataoho, we invite you onto one of Aotearoa's most significant cultural and ancestral landscapes.

Guided by ahi kaa (those who have maintained an unbroken relationship with this whenua), our experiences take visitors beyond the history books and into the living story of Ihumaatao - a place where whakapapa, culture, ecology, resistance and hope continue to shape the future.

Our experiences are immersive, thought-provoking and deeply personal. They challenge assumptions, create meaningful conversations and leave visitors with a richer understanding of this whenua and the people who continue to care for it.

Whether you are a business, community organisation or international visitors, you will arrive as a guest, and leave connected to this place.

Tours + Workshops

  • guided hikoi, walking tours auckland, guided tours, history of ihumatao, injustices of ihumatao, otuataua stonefields historic reserve, otuataua

    Guided hiikoi

    Approximately 1.5 hours ($55 + gst / per person)
    Walk alongside local guides through one of New Zealand's oldest continuously occupied papakaainga and discover the stories that cannot be found anywhere else.

    Our hiikoi explores:

    • the arrival of Hape, the migration of Te Waka Tainui and the significance of Te Ihu o Mataoho

    • the geography and volcanic origins of the landscape

    • traditional maara cultivation and sophisticated Maaori food systems

    • koorero tuku iho and local oral histories

    • the impacts of colonisation, land confiscation and injustice

    • Indigenous resilience and the protection of Ihumaatao

    • our 200-year whakakitenga (prophetic vision) now taking shape through regeneration.

    Rather than simply learning about history, visitors experience how history continues to influence our communities today, and how Indigenous knowledge is helping shape a revitalising future.

    A minimum of 20 participants per booking

    You can read our booking terms here

  • maori arts, kupenga, kids workshops, team building, maori principals, maori games, ihumatao, ihumaatao, hands-on learning, tukutuku weaving, weaving, contemporary arts

    Workshops

    Approximately 1.5 hours (packages with hiikoi + workshop from $95 +gst /pp)

    Our workshops provide opportunities to engage directly with Maaori knowledge systems through creativity, teamwork and hands-on learning.

    Poi Making
    Create your own poi while learning its cultural significance and continuing place within Maaori performing arts.

    Tukutuku
    Discover the stories, symbolism and patterns woven into traditional tukutuku panels while creating your own contemporary piece.

    Kupenga Weaving
    Create a simple contemporary kupenga while exploring the stories of Maki, the teachings of Matariki and the many ways the net symbolises connection, belonging, teamwork and collective strength.

    Rongoaa Maaori
    Experience the healing traditions of our people through native plants, their uses and the relationship between people and the natural world.

    Keemu Maaori
    Traditional Maaori games that develop communication, strategy, teamwork and connection through fun and interactive learning.

    Waka Hourua Team Challenge
    Designed especially for team building, this collaborative experience uses the principles of the waka hourua to strengthen leadership, communication, shared purpose and collective problem-solving.