A cohort of indigenous youth are learning about regenerative tourism in Aotearoa, Canada and Australia - travelling to each country to exchange knowledge. Photo / Supplied
A cohort of indigenous youth are learning about regenerative tourism in Aotearoa, Canada and Australia - travelling to each country to exchange knowledge. Photo / Supplied
“Respect” and “no shame” in Māori culture.
Those were the takeaways for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island youth during the recent Rotorua leg of the Native Nations: Tracing Indigenous Footsteps youth exchange, in which the group took in local tourism experiences.
The exchange programme, which heads to Canada next month, was the brainchild of Nadine ToeToe, who started tourism business Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours in Murupara.
Now in its second year, the Native Nations programme focuses on developing indigenous expertise in the next generation of indigenous leaders, and instilling cultural autonomy or mana motuhake, ToeToe says.
The tourism industry already prioritised sustainable tourism and had a “strong environmental focus” but ToeToe said she was focused on people, particularly rangatahi, or youth.
“Regenerative tourism is pretty much how indigenous people live and behave on a daily basis.
“I’ve also always noticed that a lot of our indigenous youth from remote communities don’t get the same opportunities to travel as other people around the world.”
ToeToe said she created the opportunity “to level the playing field”.
Applications for the programme include a 250- to 500-word submission about why students want to take part in the trip and a CV.
Rangatahi are also required to take part in three wānanga (workshops) focused on karakia (prayer), waiata (song) and haka.
Shakoda Barry, whose tribes are Yiman and Gungabula from Woorabinda in Queensland, said she had made lifelong friends during the Australian and New Zealand legs of the programme.
“I’ve been soaking-in everything – especially what the guides are sharing cause that’s how I planned to be, just like them or even better,” Barry said.
Shakoda Barry in Woorabinda during the Australian leg of the indigenous exchange. Photo / Supplied
Tobyn Hoffman from the Ghungalu and Iman mobs in Queensland said local pride in Māori culture made a big impact on him during his visit to Rotorua.
Hoffman regarded the experience as an exemplar he wanted to take back to Queensland.
“Unfortunately, we are working to reclaim the lost parts of our culture but that is why we are here.
“What I love about connecting with the Māori and Canadian crew is that all the cultures are different but also similar in their own unique way and back home we don’t get a lot of that.
“Around here everybody knows where they come from, who they are as a person and what they want to do.
“We want to spread that culture not only around where we live but anywhere we can,” Hoffman said.
Blake William is also from Queensland - from the Darumbal, Yiman and Ghungalu mobs.
He felt the Native Nations program helped him begin reclaiming his culture.
“I did get taken away from my culture and I am recently trying to find my sense of identity again.
“Seeing the Canadians and the Māori be so respectful and have no shame about their culture - it’s amazing to see and it gives me a sense of pride in myself.”
General manager at Wai Ariki, Debbie Robertson, spoke with the group. She said she was proud to whakapapa to Ngāti Whakaue and share their business practice with other indigenous nations.
Remembering the first tourism settlement at Ōhinemutu she said, “We’ve been guiding hosting and extending manaaki for hundreds of years.
“Our warriors years back would soak in the healing waters that we have and it’s still those waters now.
“Being able to share with manuhiri [visitors] moving forward is the vision.”
Nadine ToeToe, director of tourism business Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours, started the Native Nations exchange programme in 2023. Photo / Supplied
Robertson said a luxury experience pushed the potential of regenerative tourism that other cultures could pick up, too.
“To be able to share our healing practices, share our stories with manuhiri - that is key.”
Robertson told the group reclaiming indigenous culture in business and tourism would be “a marathon, not a race”.
“If you believe you have something amazing to be able to offer, stick with it. Rally people around you and you have us in another country to ask for guidance and support,” Robertson said.
Rotorua Lakes councillor Rawiri Waru said that before arriving in Aotearoa, Ngāti Whakaue were used to adapting as a people.
“Things happened in Hawaiki, [that’s] why we moved. We’ve been changing and adapting, constantly exploring and looking for innovation.
“You must always acknowledge and draw upon your past to inform your future. That is the Ngāti Whakaue, Te Arawa and probably iwi Māori ethos really.
Rotorua Lakes councillor Rawiri Waru. Photo / Laura Smith
Waru said he was proud Ngāti Whakaue elders laid the foundation for his iwi to have cultural and business autonomy now.
Autonomy in the tourism sector was “nothing new to us”, Waru said, adding that his people should be proud and he looked forward to what the next generation planned for the tourism sector.
“I believe these young ones are not only digital natives – they have a totally different way of thinking.
“They’re not going to compromise on upholding tikanga [customs] - that’s the feeling and the general spirit and thinking from this generation in particular.
“People come and get a real authentic, genuine experience ... that’s something Ngāti Whakaue held strong to, we maintained our own mana motuhake, that makes me very proud.
“That’s something I’d like to emphasise – everyone benefits from tourism here - not just Ngāti Whakaue, not just Tūhourangi Ngāti Wāhiao, not just Te Arawa, everyone.
Markalis Robinson from Te Arawa during the programme's Aboriginal exchange in Queensland. Photo / Supplied
“By now it should allay fears that some may have about iwi business and iwi tourism,” Waru said.
Waru said indigenous people already lived by example when it came to sustaining the local ecosystem.
“I think it’s easy to see how [indigenous knowledge] benefits everybody.”
Markalis Robinson from Tapuika [Te Arawa] was ”amazed” to meet other indigenous youth from Australia and was looking forward to going to Canada.
“To be a Māori means everything to me, I love my culture and sharing it with everyone - anyone that wants to hear and listen.”
He said as a young indigenous man, he recommended the Native Nations programme.
“Before I came on this trip I was a quiet person, I kept to myself a lot, since being here I’ve opened up and made a new whānau.”
Aleyna Martinez is a multimedia journalist based in the Bay of Plenty. She moved to the region in 2024 and has previously reported in Wairarapa and at Pacific Media Network.
