Kaitiakitanga – guardianship and conservation

Kaitiakitanga means guardianship and protection, a deep kinship between humans and the natural world.

It is a way of managing the environment, based on the Māori world view. It does not focus on ownership but on authority and responsibility. Kaitiakitanga is concerned with both sustainability of the environment and the utilisation of its benefits. This can be a person or group that cares for an area such as a lake or forest.

There is growing interest in kaitiakitanga today. Many tribes are restoring their local environment and culture, using traditional ideas in the modern world.

We, at Rotorua Heritage Farm proudly take on the responsibility of kaitiakitanga or guardianship over the property we manage our business on. We practise sustainable farming and land management to ensure we are protecting the environment for future generations. At Rotorua Heritage Farm we celebrate and showcase the natural environment and strongly believe in encouraging others to know how to care for and respect their part of the world too.

Manaakitanga – a unique New Zealand hospitality

Loosely translated as hospitality, 'manaakitanga' plays a key role in Māori society and inspires the New Zealand visitor experience– it is central to Maori society and inspires the way that travellers are made to feel welcome when visiting New Zealand. At its heart, the term refers to the need for reciprocal hospitality and respect between different people, groups and cultures.

Manaakitanga can be broken down into three parts: mana-ā-ki which loosely translates as ‘the power of the word’ and reminds hosts to be expressive and fluent in welcoming visitors.

Another explanation has the words mana (prestige) and ki te tangata (to the people) – pointing out the importance of enhancing the mana which covers the integrity, prestige and power of guests.

Whether it’s the nation of hosting thousands of international visitors from around the world for a major sports event or an individual on their self-drive holiday, it is the spirit of manaakitanga that makes a New Zealand holiday unique.

At Rotorua Heritage Farm, international and domestic visitors are always treated with the upmost respect. We make everyone feel very welcome and have multi-lingual staff onsite to interact on our behalf when needed. All staff are courteous and welcoming and enjoy making our visitors comfortable even when there is no common language. Manaakitanga is reflected in our high standards of service and commitment to our visitors.