Tākiri Tū te kōrero ki te ao
Sharing our stories with the world

Tainui Waka Tourism Inc. is the official Māori Regional Tourism Organisation (MRTO) for the Tainui Waka region (an area encompassing the traditional tribal boundaries of Waikato, Raukawa, Maniapoto and Hauraki Iwi). We were established in 2010 with the mandate of the Tainui Waka Alliance (Iwi Chairs) and New Zealand Māori Tourism.

We are a non-profit organisation that exists to “Foster the development of Māori Tourism throughout the Tainui Waka region”. We support the strategic aims of the National Māori Tourism Action Plan and our activities are guided by the values espoused by the Kīngitanga Movement.

It is our view that Māori tourism and participation by Māori in tourism must be brought to the forefront to complement and grow our distinctive tourism offering and ensure that the development and promotion of tourism is undertaken in a manner that is environmentally responsible, economically sustainable and acknowledges the spiritual, physical and cultural values of tangata whenua.

We will fulfil our Mission by: 

• • • • Encouraging greater participation by Māori/Iwi in the tourism sector and in the hosting of guests to our region; 
      • Providing tangible support, useful information and opportunities of value to our members and stakeholders; 
      • Effectively representing Tainui Waka Māori tourism interests at the regional and national level; 
      • Supporting events, products and/or services that increase visitation to our region and benefit our stakeholders; 
      • Developing robust planning, marketing & promotional activities in support of our members and the regional Māori tourism sector; 
      • Influencing & informing regional policy, planning & branding of relevance to the Māori tourism sector;   
      • Building strong relationships with strategic partners to enhance planning, development and coordination of Māori tourism initiatives; 
      • Facilitating access to appropriate business support, tourism training, research and mentoring opportunities for our members; 
      • Strengthening support for our activities through the establishment of mutually beneficial partnerships with local, regional & national stakeholders. 

Tērā ōku nei hoa kei ngā tōpito o te ao 
Our friends will come from the four corners of the globe 
-Kīngi Tawhiao

Our activities are underpinned by the following traditional Māori values espoused by the Kīngitanga Movement: 

• • • • Whakaiti – Humility 
      • Whakapono – Belief 
      • Aroha – Affection 
      • Rangimarie – Peacefulness 
      • Manaakitanga – Hospitality 
      • Kotahitanga – Unity 
      • Mahitahi – Togetherness

With the mandate of the Tainui Waka Alliance and New Zealand Māori Tourism to represent the Māori tourism sector throughout the Tainui Waka region, our activities are also guided by the following traditional values:   

• • • • Mana Motuhake – Authority 
      • Rangatiratanga – Self Determination 
      • Kawanatanga – Governance 
      • Kaitiakitanga – Guardianship 
      • Kawenga – Responsibility

It is our belief that Māori tourism and participation by Māori in tourism must be brought to the forefront to complement and grow our distinctive tourism offering and to ensure that the development and promotion of tourism products and services is undertaken in a manner that is environmentally responsible, economically sustainable and acknowledges the spiritual, physical and cultural values of tangata whenua (the people of the land).  

As the official Regional Māori Tourism Organisation for New Zealand Maori Tourism we support the strategic intent and aims of the National Māori Tourism Action Plan to: 

• • • • Position Māori culture as a core element of the tourism experience; 
      • Promote the development of measurably higher-quality Māori and commissionable product and tourism experiences; 
      • Increase visitor numbers for Māori tourism businesses; 
      • Increase yields for Māori tourism operators; 
      • Increase levels of customer satisfaction with Māori tourism products and services; 
      • Increase business capability within the Māori tourism sector; and
      • Increase investment in the Māori and cultural tourism sector. 

Our main area of operation is focused on (but not limited to) the traditional geographic boundary known as “Tainui Waka”. Tribes residing within this boundary share an ancestral affiliation to the ancient voyaging canoe called Tainui.

There are four large tribal groupings within Tainui Waka, namely: Waikato, Maniapoto, Raukawa and Hauraki tribal confederacies. There are also many smaller tribal and sub-tribal groupings with authority over their respective traditional domains. The Tainui Waka region is described by the following well known proverb:

Ko Mōkau ki runga (Mōkau is above) 
Ko Tāmaki ki raro (Tāmaki is below)  
Ko Mangatoatoa ki waenganui (Mangatoatoa is between)
Pare Hauraki, Pare Waikato (The boundaries of Hauraki, the boundaries of Waikato)
Te Kaokaoroa-o-Pātetere (To the place called ‘the long armpit of Pātetere’).  

Figure 1: Tainui Waka Area of Operation

Geographical Boundary of the Tainui Waka Region (Highlighted in green) Mōkau refers to the river in north Taranaki, and Tāmaki to the isthmus on which the city of Auckland now stands. Mangatoatoa is a small village south of Te Awamutu. Pare Hauraki is the Hauraki region including the Piako, Ōhinemuri and Coromandel districts. Pare Waikato is the region north of Kāwhia to the Manukau Harbour and across to the Hūnua and the Hapūakohe Range.

The ‘Tainui Waka’ region therefore covers a substantial part of the central North Island. It includes the Franklin, Hauraki, Matamata – Piako, Otorohanga, South Waikato, Thames-Coromandel, Waikato, Waipa and Waitomo Districts. It encompasses cities and towns such as Hamilton, Te Awamutu, Cambridge and Huntly. It also encompasses much of South Auckland and includes, Auckland International Airport – the main gateway to and from Aotearoa, New Zealand.