Unique Bicultural Māori Tours – You will Never Forget!

New Zealand has a unique history found no where else in the world, while you are in New Zealand a Must-Do experience is to understand the unique bicultural history of this land.

Māori History

The Māori history of New Zealand is fascinating and very different to the history of indigenous people of other lands. Incredible navigators and explorers the Māori people settled 700-800 years ago after open ocean voyages across the Pacific Ocean.

When Māori arrived they found a country that looked like no other, with plants and animals found no where else on earth.

The Māori culture quickly adapted to their new home and the landscape was named (see the Ngai Tahu Cultural Map) and filled with places with cultural stories and histories.

Akaroa Maori History

One of the places that was most richly inhabited with stories was Te Pataka o Rakiahautu or Banks Peninsula. Akaroa Maori history is rich and complex and has many historic sites that are interwoven with the stories of Europeans arriving to this new ancient land.

Akaroa has five of the most important historic sites in New Zealand that together tell a narrative as important as Waitangi. Through a bi-cultrual lens these sites come alive:

• the first marker of Polynesian Māori settlement
• the first European involvement in inter-tribal warfare, that set in motion chapters of history that tell the New Zealand Story.
• the first signing in the South Island of Te Tirity o Waitangi, the Treaty of Waitangi, New Zealand’s foundation document.
• the first demonstration of British sovereignty in the South Island.
• the forced sale of Ngai Tahu lands.

There IS NO OTHER PLACE in New Zealand that has this collection of sites that can tell this narrative.

Bicultural School Tours and Bicultural Teacher Training Tours

Akaroa is the perfect place to understand the bi-cultural history of New Zealand, it’s story is interwoven with places and events that sit within the national and international context, this allows students and teachers the ability to easily grasp this heavy history in ways that make it come alive, and make it understandable from both world views.

The consequences of the history that played out in Akaroa had real and long lasting effects upon both Maori and Pakeha and so many intricacies can be discussed on these European and Maori Tours, really they are like no other tour, lead by no ordinary tour guide.

Teachers will be able to implement many of the ideas that are discussed on tour within their classrooms and the feedback at the end of the tours is simple ”that was incredible”.

If you are wishing to implement a bicultural curriculum in your classroom then these Teacher Training European and Maori Tours are for you.

Akaroa Maori Tourism Experiences

What is the best place for Maori culture and history tours? Akaroa! This is a little-known FACT. Even though Akaroa is famous for being the only French town in New Zealand.

Not only does Akaroa have amazing tours, it also has the Akaroa Museum (free of charge!) and the Okains Bay Museum, with collections of National Significance. With a Māori village that you can visit, Akaroa is the top spot in the South Island for Māori culture.

“World Class”, these bi-cultural European and Maori Tours are simply “remarkable”.

Akaroa – Best Small Town in New Zealand

Akaroa is the prettiest town in New Zealand, a seaside village with European historic architecture. Akaroa is beautiful. It has different kind of beauty to the rest of New Zealand. Serene and wild, peaceful and invigorating, romantic and cool. Like Queenstown but without the crowds (please don’t tell the crowds).

Akaroa is also one of the friendliest towns in New Zealand, with a small population you are sure to meet a local who would love to chat.

Close to Christchurch, but a world away, Akaroa is only 1.5 hours from Christchurch and is part of Christchurch City Council, but it’s a whole other world, friendlier, quieter, filled with birds, beautiful. It has to be the best spot for Christchurch Maori tourism experiences.

The Seventh Generation

Stories told by a seventh generation local, a trained ecologist and passionate historian; Marie.

Sensitive to the cultural narratives, with a passion for telling stories that matter, stories that will change you, stories that empower you, Marie will leave you filled with hope for the future, based upon a very clear understanding of our past.

Woven into the Akaroa Nature and History Tour are facts and details that will astound you and that make the story POP. Little things that you never knew but you will never forget.

Geology, archeology, oral history, mythology, ecology, natural history, cultural narratives, recorded witness statements, international politics, personal accounts, family history, regenerative farming, regenerative tourism, carbon neutral: Simply this tour, has it all AND some!

5 South Island Maori Tour Experiences

Dark Sky Project, Mackenzie

Enjoy your time in the Dark Sky Night Mackenzie region with these guided Maori tours.

Te Ana Maori Rock Art, Timaru

The Te Ana Maori Rock Art Centre in Timaru will explain the ancient movement and harvesting of food and resources.

Kaikoura Art Trail

While visiting the stunning Kaikoura, enjoy this FREE Maori Tourism Arts Trail along the waterfront.

Weka Pass Walkway – Maori Rock Drawings

Take this FREE walkway to explore ancient Maori Culture on your way to Hanmer Hot Pools.

The Seventh Generation – Akaroa History Tour

The Akaroa Nature and History Tour is absolutely UNIQUE. There is NOT another bicultural Maori tour like this in the South Island, or New Zealand.

This tour includes both European and Maori History with outstanding storytelling that interweaves European and Maori Culture to create a COMPLETE understanding of New Zealand’s foundation story, that informs a clear vision for the future that will fill you with HOPE.