South Taranaki tribe Nga Rauru are pleased with their first ever cultural festival, held in Waverley last weekend.
Mike Neho, the tribe's kaiarahi, iwi development, and one of the five organisers, said the event went really well.
There were more than 650 registrations and many highlights: the return of young people from overseas, three kapa haka teams of 40 or more people each, rugby, the marae-athlon and all the fish caught.
The festival will now happen every two years and Mr Neho expects the enthusiasm from the first one to boost numbers on the tribe's annual Waitotara Awa Hikoi.
Waverley businesses provided festival sponsorship, and also benefited from the influx of people to their town.