A new Maori focused cultural trip to be launched in Queenstown this week has been designed to provide for the increasing demand for interactive cultural experiences.
Kawarau Jet's Cultural Trip will open for business on Thursday 1st December offering a unique and fascinating insight into the lives of Maori people, the history of the Kawarau and Shotover Rivers and the Maori connection to the rivers, Lake Wakatipu and the local region.
The Cultural Trip is a jetboat journey operating on the same waters as the original Kawarau Jet trip but is hosted and guided in an entirely different way. The entire experience takes approximately two hours (1.5 hours on the water) and explores the river from a Maori and historical perspective as opposed to an adventure perspective.
Departing daily at 10:30am and 1:30pm the trip employs the services of three local Maori who are fluent in Te Reo* and fully trained as guides for this stretch of lake and river.
In the research phase of developing the product, Kawarau Jet staff met with Huata Holmes, a highly regarded Pou Here Tangata*, Kaitiaki* of the Southern Maori Tikanga* and Kaumatua* and have continued to work with long term Queenstown resident Leah Webster who serves as Huata Holmes' local representative.
Kawarau Jet co-director Andrew Brinsley said that having decided to produce a cultural tourism product, the company took the project extremely seriously and went through a full consultation and research process.
"We felt we needed to undertake genuine research to provide a quality tourism product that had its roots firmly planted in accurate historical and cultural information. It turned out to be a marathon two year project that provided not only a fantastic product but also an exciting learning experience for all involved. We were amazed by the depth of Huata Holmes' knowledge and I think we all found the bringing together of our cultures to develop this trip a profound educational experience."
The Cultural Trip explores the legend of the lake as well as important cultural traditions such as the Powhiri* and Hongi*. Ample time is provided for unstructured commentary and informal question and answer sessions.
"This trip offers the fun of a jetboat trip in stunning surroundings as well as a deeply personal cultural experience that offers insight and learning in a relaxed and informal environment."
Driven by passion since 1960, Kawarau Jet is locally owned and operated and proud of its heritage as the world's first commercial jetboat operation and as a technology and product innovator.
Te Reo Glossary
- Te Reo - Maori language
- Pou Here Tangata - support between the people
- Kaitiaki - guardian
- Tikanga - protocol
- Kaumatua - elder
- Powhiri - welcome performance
- Hongi - traditional greeting
