Haere mai! Haere mai! Haere mai!
Once! Twice! Thrice! Welcome.

The powhiri is a ceremony of welcome extended to visitors by Maori, the indigenous people of New Zealand. Here we invite you to follow the sequence of a powhiri, which we hope you will experience as part of your visit to our country.

The traditions and protocol of the powhiri provide an insight into the unique and spiritual world of the Maori, which is as important today as in the past. The various elements of the powhiri serve to ward off evil spirits and unite both visitor and host in an environment of friendship and peace.

The word powhiri encapsulates two important concepts to Maori. According to Waitangi kaumatua (elder), Wiremu Williams, of the Nga Puhi iwi (tribe), the word Po can be translated as a venture into the "unknown" or a new experience, while Whiri is derived from the term Whiriwhiri meaning the act or experience of exchanging information and knowledge.

	NORTHLAND

In 1840, Waitangi became the first location for the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, an agreement between the British Crown and Maori, and New Zealand's founding document.

Each year on the 6th February (a national holiday), visitors to the Waitangi National Trust estate may be able to experience a formal powhiri celebrating the Treaty of Waitangi.