Enriching cultural experiences in Waitomo
In Discover Waitomo we have made exciting progress developing enriching cultural experiences and immersive education programmes, including the new bilingual and full immersion Te Reo Māori tours, first developed and delivered for Māori language week.
The Te Reo Māori Full Immersion Glowworm Cave tour, is the glowworm cave experience entirely spoken in Te Reo Māori, led by members of the local hapū (tribe) direct descendants of the cave’s original explorers. The Bilingual Glowworm Cave tour is perfect for those starting out on their Te Reo Māori journey. The guided walk through the caves with key elements of the tour delivered in Te Reo Māori and English is a great learning opportunity.
We have continued to develop our innovative education and community events programmes, with strong growth in interest and demand. Highlights include 60 students and teachers from Kawhia School hosted with a Te Reo Māori Full Immersion tour in April and the inspiring programme of activities celebrating Matariki.
The Discover Waitomo crew continue to embrace their mātauranga Māori journey to facilitate learning, understanding and use of tikanga practices in our mahi (work) and through our core values of Kaitiakitanga (guardianship, stewardship), Manaakitanga (hospitality, generosity, respect) and Whanaugatanga (connection, kinship).