WHO WE ARE
Mitai Māori Village is a family owned and operated business.
Come and learn about the history of this area which was once flourished in villages.
See our fierce warriors in traditional dress paddle an ancient warrior canoe (waka)
down the Wai-o-Whiro stream.
Your hāngī earth oven kai (food) includes meat, chicken, kumara and much more. The hāngī is cooked in an earth-oven, a hole 1-2m into the ground, the baskets of kai are placed on hot stones at the bottom of a hāngī pit. The kai is then covered to trap the heat, the steam and heat from heated hāngī stones infuses the kai with delicious earthy flavours while it cooks for 3-4 hours. Come and try out the delicious tempting food of the Great Ocean of Kiwa.
The stories of our people shared through song and dance form, the history of the area you visit and the way of life for our people in the days of old will give you an appreciation of who we are as Māori. Come and join us in this Māori fusion extravaganza, including a feast for the ravenous following a walk through our forest where you will see the fortified pā (village) and glimpse the stream banks light up with the natural beauty of the glow worms.
OUR STORY
Mitai Maori Village sits over four acres of whenua (land) called Rotohokahoka gifted by the Ngati Whakaue people to develop.
Under the leadership of six-time national Manukura Tāne (male leader) Kapa Haka, Wetini Mitai-Ngatai and the whānau (family) Mitai-Ngatai, Mitai Māori Village was established and has been operating for over 20years.
The vision and foresight for this land was to redevelop the old pā (village) site, showcase Māori culture through Toi Whakaari (performing arts) and to share the lifestyle of Māori.
The beginnings of Mitai Māori Village started with almost bare whenua with no electricity, no running water and only a couple of buildings. There were doubts to achieve the vision, little to no funding to support the development and some negative thoughts and comments which drove and motivated the whānau to pull together and get on with the hard work of turning this into the successful business that it is today.
Mitai Māori Village are proud to be involved in environmental, humanitarian, social and cultural events locally, nationally, and internationally sharing Te Ao Māori (Maoridom).
The whānau Mitai-Ngatai invites you to experience the world of Mitai Māori Village.
Mitai Māori Cultural Experience & Dinner Buffet
An evening at Mitai Māori Village will give you an authentic introduction to Māori Culture leaving you amazed and in awe. We invite you to come and share in the culture of our people and discover who we are as Māori, the indigenous people of Aotearoa, New Zealand.
- 3 Hours
- All Ages
Wai, Kai & Relax Combo Package
Immerse yourself in the captivating world of Mitai Māori Village and savour a mouthwatering Hangi Buffet Dinner. Then, unwind at Polynesian Spa’s Deluxe Lake Spa, surrounded by nature’s beauty. A perfect blend of culture and relaxation!
- All Ages