Cultural Options

Taupo District is the home of Ngati Tuwharetoa Maori, our indigenous people, and the only remaining tribe with an ancestoral chieftainship. While Tuwharetoa haven't commercialized their culture to the same degree as other tribes, entrepreneurial members of Tuwharetoa are responding to market demands for personalized, intimate and genuine cultural experiences.

Tanera Reihana (Stan) is the owner/operator of HAKA Trails, a local tour and activity service providing experiences with a Maori flavor. He is a direct descendant of the Ngati Tuwharetoa tribe and has a strong knowledge of our region, its people and its history.

Choose from one or more of HAKA Trails personalized, pre-designed experiences listed below, or ask Stan to customize something especially for you. Stan's authentic Maori guiding offers a fusion of fresh new experiences and insights unique to HAKA Trails, the Ngati Tuwharetoa people and this region.

From two hours to two days, Stan can customize a tour and activity experience for you that can include the following:

Marae Visit. Marae (sacred meeting places) are the heart of Maori community, where Maori customs and culture are given ultimate expression. The Marae visit is an intimate and highly informative experience, providing an introduction to aspects of Marae and their significance within Maori culture.

Flax Weaving. Learn how to create putiputi (flowers) or weave a basic kete (bag) that you can take home with you.

Traditional Maori Cooking. Journey to a thermal area where Stan's ancestors have used the heat of the ground to steam their food for hundreds of years. Watch your food going into the cooking pit, then venture out on a scenic and cultural journey, listening to legends and visiting historic and cultural sites. Enjoy an optional 20 minute stroll through the active thermal area. And then, enjoy your Maori meal at picnic tables within the thermal area.

Learn the Haka. The Haka was made famous by New Zealand's national rugby team, The All Blacks. The common interpretation for the Haka is a war dance, however Haka is also used generically to describe all forms of Maori dance and performance. Ha-ka means "to ignite the breath". The haka is simply a way to ignite the breath, energise the body and inspire the spirit.

The Haka Trail. Journey to the area where the Haka was originally composed and performed by the infamous Ngati Toa fighting chief, Te Rauparaha and subsequently gifted to Stan's ancestor, Te Wharerangi. Learn the history behind this much admired expression of Maori culture.

Lake, Land and Legend. Experience the best of our region in one convenient package. Your day begins with a boat cruise out to see the Maori rock carvings in a pristine bay on Lake Taupo. This is followed by a little fishing and some commentary about the lake, the sacred island Motutaiko, the lake's volcanic origins and its significance to the people of Ngati Tuwharetoa. After lunch, travel on land to the Southern end of the lake (about 45 minutes) to the Turangi and Tokaanu region where you will visit various sites of historic and cultural significance.

For more information, or to book your cultural experience, contact Stan (pictured below with his wife Gloria) via email at: info@hakatrails.co.nz, or visit the HAKA Trails web site at www.hakatrails.co.nz