We’ve got an online booking process – easy as!  Just click here, check that your dates are available, and follow the instructions.

As long as your kaupapa will take.  You might need a couple of hours for a hui, or a week for a wānanga.  And of course, whānau needing a place to stay when they come home to visit the island are always welcome!

Yes.  It costs us to keep our marae up and running, so we pay to stay.  Everything you need to know about fees is on our Bookings page.

Ultimately it’s the Ngātiwai o Aotea Kawa Marae Trust Board who approves all bookings.  If there’s time, your booking will go to a Board meeting for approval.  If there’s not, the Chairperson will make a decision.

If you don’t think you need to make a booking but just want to drop by and look around or show someone the marae, just get in touch.

Anyone.  Everyone. Our marae is for all – whānau, community, schools, corporates, clubs.  As long as visitors agree to respect our marae and our tikanga, they can use the facilities.

We can legally cater for 100 people staying over.

Almost!  Birthdays, celebrations, hui, wānanga, retreats, meetings, most things are completely fine!  The only consideration really is that the even won’t offend, cause harm, or damage the reputation of our marae and our people.  As long as your event aligns with our values and tikanga, you can use the facilities.

NOTE that our marae is ALCOHOL-FREE and SMOKE-FREE.

Yes.  Both the wharenui and the wharekai (and toilet/shower facilities) are wheelchair accessible.

The driveway between the 2 buildings is on a bit of a rise, so be aware there’s a small hill between the two.

No worries.  Just contact us to let us know.  If you cancel with less than 14 days notice, there’s no refund of your deposit.

Blankets

Towels

Personal and sanitary items like soap and shampoo

All food, unless you’re paying for us to do the catering.

Rubbish bags and cooking-related consumables like cling-wrap and tinfoil, and dishwashing liquid

Laundry powder if you’re staying long enough to need it

• A welcome (pōwhiri) followed by tea, coffee, and biscuits
• Bedding: Mattresses, pillows, bottom sheets, pillow cases
• Tea towels and dish cloths
• Dishes, cutlery, and cooking utensils
• Fuel for the generator
• Gas for cooking
• Wood for the hot water system

That’s one of the fun things about the island! Here’s a map to show our location – that’s the easiest way to find us.

To get to the island you can fly or come by boat and bring your own vehicle.  You can also hire a vehicle on the island.

If you need more specific instructions, just contact us!

Almost always.  The only exception would be if you’re a regular visitor to the marae and no one in you group is waewae tapu (a new visitor).

That means we’ll carry out a pōwhiri welcoming process to bring you on.  You arrive at an agreed time, wait under our beautiful waharoa (gateway) and we’ll call you in.  If you’re unsure how this works, contact us – on the day someone can also come out and give you a heads up as to how things will run.

Every hapū and iwi has their own tikanga around this.  For us, it’s usual to be dressed nice and tidy, and covered up (modest – not too much skin showing) and for a woman to be wearing a skirt or a dress. Some people choose to wear black, but that’s not required.  Think of it as a special occasion – it’s a privilege to be welcomed in this way, so it’s respectful to dress nicely.

Having said all of that – you are welcome either way.  You will never be judged or turned away because you’re not dressed up.  Nau mai, haere mai!

It’s traditional for each group (us at the marae and you arriving) to have a kaikaranga (a woman to call) and a kaiwhaikōrero (a man to speak).  

In short, no, you do not have to speak.  And it’s nice if someone in your group can speak on your behalf.

Ideally the speech is done in Te Reo Māori.  It’s more important to us to carry out our protocols than to only have fluent speakers of Te Reo Māori doing this work.  If this process is new to you, you might want to get a bit more familiar with how pōwhiri and whaikōrero work.

Yes, unless you are paying us to do the catering for you.

Yes!  We’re very proud of our kitchen facilities.  Please always clean up thoroughly, and please keep children out of the kitchen – this is a Health and Safety issue.

Yes.  We never have kai in our wharenui.  But these days most marae allow a water bottle beside you while you sleep, in case you have a bit of a cough or need a quick drink of water during the night. 

The wharekai will stay unlocked while you’re on the marae.  If you’ve brought your own food, you can access it anytime, day or night!  If we’re catering for you, we’ll leave some tea and coffee, biscuits, and maybe some fruit out for a late night snack.  Some great kōrero happens late at night in the wharekai!

Yes, of course!  Baby bottles of milk, formula or water are fine in the wharenui, just not kai.

Once you’ve been welcomed and settled in, consider yourself at home.  You can come and go as you need to.  The only things to think about really are:

mealtimes (be considerate of the cooks!)

Noise if you’re coming or going while others are sleeping

always keeping things clean and tidy (no sand being tracked into the marae, etc)

Both the wharekai and wharenui have showers and toilets.  Our hot water is heated by a woodburner.  Our water is from a tank, so we use it considerately. Be prepared to thoroughly clean the toilet and showers facilities when you finish your stay, and keep them tidy during your stay.