Arch of the Ancestors

Description

Be sure to read the Special Notes further down this page for important requirements and restriction.

What you will visit:
Hakikino Conservation Reserve
Once of a series of battlements built to protect the people of Waimarama, the fortress of Hakikino was breached in the early 16th century by the Kahungunu people in an attempt to kidnap the Rangitane princess named Hinengatiira. Once captured, she was married to the son of the invading chief, and today all of the people of Waimarama are descended from this union. Today the home people of Hakikino still practice some of the traditional activities and customs by which their people survived.

What you will see along the way:
As the 60-minute drive to the Marae takes you down picturesque Marine Parade, you will see Cape Kidnappers off in the distance. The scenic Hawke's Bay countryside will unfold as you travel through the Tuki Tuki Valley, passing farmland, orchards and vineyards, with iconic Te Mata Peak on the horizon. As you approach the coastal village of Waimarama, the dramatic coastal landscape appears, with breathtaking views of the island of Motu-O-Kura, which sits just off the coast of Waimarama in the Pacific Ocean.