Māori Culture in Palmerston North
The name Te Papaioea, Rangitāne o Manawatū, Te Motu o Poutoa, He Ara Kotahi, Te Marae o Hine, Puanga and te reo.
Papaioea, or Te Papaioea, is the Māori name for Palmerston North, after the Papaioea clearing where the town was laid out, and Rangitāne o Manawatū are mana whenua. Here’s where to experience Māori culture in Palmerston North: taonga at Te Manawa, Te Motu o Poutoa, He Ara Kotahi and Te Marae o Hine, Waitangi Day and Puanga, the iwi and te reo.
Te Papaioea
The Rangitāne chief Te Hirawanui Kaimokopuna (also written Te Hirawanu) pointed out the Papaioea clearing to the government surveyor, and the town was laid out on it.
Te Motu o Poutoa
The Island of Poutoa: the pā above the river, which Poutoa thought looked like an island.
Te Marae o Hine
The Courtyard of the Daughter of Peace, the Māori name for The Square.
He Ara Kotahi
A pathway that brings people together.
Puanga
A star near the Matariki cluster, which Rangitāne give prominence to at the Māori New Year.
Ways to experience Māori culture in Palmerston North
See the taonga at Te Manawa, then visit the places Rangitāne named along the Manawatū River and in the city centre. Check with each place for dates and prices.
Museum
Te Manawa
The regional museum of art, science and heritage. Te Manawa acknowledges mana whenua, the people of Rangitāne, who provide guidance, collaboration and kaitiakitanga, and its collections include taonga Māori. General admission is free; charges may apply to some exhibitions and programmes.
Visit Te ManawaAt your own pace
Te Motu o Poutoa (Anzac Park)
The Island of Poutoa, which the city council calls the most sacred pā in Palmerston North. Chief Poutoa founded it in the early 1500s, and the council describes its 500-year history as a fortified pā. The council’s history records that in 1820 the pā was attacked and destroyed. It is a wāhi tapu, which the council and Rangitāne are to co-manage as partners under a kawenata, so treat it with respect.
Read our guideHe Ara Kotahi
The name means a pathway that brings people together. The pathway is on the site of Mokomoko, a large Rangitāne village, and the 9 km pathway passes pā sites and an eel sanctuary. He Ara Kotahi, Hei Ara Kōrero, made by Rangitāne o Manawatū with CEDA, tells the stories of the river on an interactive map.
Read our guideTe Marae o Hine (The Square)
The Courtyard of the Daughter of Peace. Matene Te Whiwhi of Ngāti Raukawa offered the name to the Rangitāne chief Te Peeti Te Awe Awe in memory of his ancestress Rongorito, a famous peacemaker, and Te Peeti offered it to the first mayor in the hope of peace between all citizens. Carved pou were set up when the park was re-dedicated in 1990, and Te Peeti’s statue stands here.
Read our guideMāori events through the year
Waitangi Day
A free day in Te Marae o Hine, hosted by the city council in collaboration with Ngāti Hineaute, with live music, kapa haka and activities for tamariki. The next one is Saturday 6 February 2027, 10am to 2pm.
Puanga Festival
Rangitāne o Manawatū traditionally give prominence to Puanga, a star near the Matariki cluster that can be easier to see in this part of the country, so Palmerston North welcomes the Māori New Year with Puanga. The council’s festival, with Ngāti Hineaute, ran on Friday 10 July 2026 at the Arena’s Pit Lane, 3pm to 7pm.
Matariki public holiday
Matariki falls on Friday 25 June in 2027.
Marae in and around Palmerston North
Marae are the gathering places of hapū and iwi. They are not visitor attractions: you visit a marae when you’re invited, or by arrangement with the marae, often with a group, a school or an event. Each marae has its own kawa (protocol), so ask your hosts what they expect.
Te Hotu Manawa o Rangitāne o Manawatū
The marae of Rangitāne o Manawatū in the city, with the whare Tūturu Pūmau. In its own words it belongs to the hapū Ngāti Hineaute, Ngāti Rangiaranaki, Ngāti Rangitepaia, Ngāti Mairehau and Ngāti Tauira. It is about five minutes’ drive from the city centre.
Their siteTe Rangimarie
A Rangitāne marae in Rangiotū, just outside the city, built in 1868 by Hoani Meihana; Te Kāhui Māngai lists it under the hapū Ngāti Rangitepaia. Its wharekai is Te Whakapono.
Māori MapsHow a welcome usually goes
- GatherThe visitors assemble together, and the hosts begin the welcome.
- KarangaA woman from the hosts calls you on, and a caller from your group answers. Walk on together as the calling continues.
- Whaikōrero and waiataSpeeches from hosts and visitors, each followed by a song.
- KohaA gift, usually money in an envelope, laid down by your last speaker.
- Hongi and harirūShake hands and press noses with the hosts.
- HākariA shared meal ends the welcome and lifts the tapu of the pōwhiri.
Rangitāne o Manawatū
The city council acknowledges Rangitāne o Manawatū as mana whenua of Palmerston North. They claim descent from the tūpuna of the Kurahaupō waka, and settled along the Manawatū River, from Te Āpiti (the Manawatū Gorge) to the river mouth, including where the Pohangina and Oroua rivers join it. Their third marae, Motuiti, is at Himatangi. Their saying is “Tini Whetū ki te Rangi ko nga Uri o Rangitāne ki te Whenua”: as numerous as the stars in the sky, so are the people of great Rangitāne upon the land.
Tanenuiarangi Manawatū Charitable Trust
The mandated iwi authority for Rangitāne o Manawatū since 1989; its members are the descendants of the hapū of Rangitāne o Manawatū.
Their siteRangitāne o Manawatū Settlement Trust
The post-settlement governance entity for Rangitāne o Manawatū, with one trustee from each of six member hapū.
Te Kāhui MāngaiTe Kāhui Māngai also lists Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga among the iwi with interests in Palmerston North City; Matene Te Whiwhi, who gave Te Marae o Hine its name, was a Ngāti Raukawa chief.
Māori history and stories
Rangitāne welcomed the settlers who came in the mid-1800s. The Crown bought Te Ahu o Tūranga, the block that includes Palmerston North, in 1864, in a sale led on the Rangitāne side by Te Hirawanui Kaimokopuna. In 2019 the city council and Rangitāne signed a partnership agreement recognising Rangitāne as mana whenua, and an agreement to co-manage Te Motu o Poutoa (Scoop).
Māori History in Palmerston North
Papaioea, Rangitāne o Manawatū and the pā of the Manawatū River.
Read the historyHe Ara Kotahi, Hei Ara Kōrero
The river sites on the interactive map, including Turitea Pā.
Read itLearning te reo Māori in Palmerston North
Te reo Māori learning for adults. Check each provider for the latest dates.
Te Wānanga o Aotearoa
Te Kahupapa o te Reo, a Level 1 classroom course with no fees, among its reo Māori programmes.
Find out moreUCOL
A beginner-friendly course, 9 to 10 weeks part time with 2 hours of class a week. Palmerston North dates for 2027 are to be confirmed.
Find out moreKōhanga reo
Kōhanga reo are Māori-language early learning centres. The Ministry of Education directory and the Kōhanga Reo National Trust list these in Palmerston North City. Find one on the Kōhanga Reo National Trust map.
- Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Uru Karaka (Massey University)
- Te Kōhanga Reo o Ngāti Hineaute ki Rangitaane o Manawatū (Highbury)
- Te Kōhanga Reo o Mana Tamariki (Grey Street)
- Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Ao Mārama (Roslyn)
- Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Āwhina (Roslyn)
- Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Whānau Mana Kākano (Terrace End School)
Schools that teach in te reo Māori
TKKM o Manawatu
Kura kaupapa Māori, full primary school. All students taught in te reo Māori.
Mana Tamariki
Composite school. All students taught in te reo Māori.
About this page
Explore Palmerston North is an independent local guide. This page draws on the websites of Tanenuiarangi Manawatū Charitable Trust, Te Kāhui Māngai, Palmerston North City Council, Te Manawa, Manawatū Heritage, the Ministry of Education and the providers’ own sites. Spotted something to add or correct? Let us know.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Māori name for Palmerston North?
Papaioea, or Te Papaioea, after the clearing where the town was laid out. The Rangitāne chief Te Hirawanui Kaimokopuna pointed it out to the government surveyor.
What iwi is Palmerston North?
Rangitāne o Manawatū are mana whenua of Palmerston North, as the city council acknowledges. Te Kāhui Māngai also lists Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga as having interests in the city.
What is Te Motu o Poutoa?
The Island of Poutoa, at Anzac Park on Cliff Road: the most sacred pā in Palmerston North, founded by Chief Poutoa in the early 1500s. It is a wāhi tapu co-managed by the council and Rangitāne.
Why does Palmerston North celebrate Puanga?
Rangitāne o Manawatū traditionally give prominence to Puanga, a star near Matariki that can be easier to see in this part of the country.
What does Te Marae o Hine mean?
The Courtyard of the Daughter of Peace, the Māori name for The Square, offered by Matene Te Whiwhi to Te Peeti Te Awe Awe in memory of the peacemaker Rongorito.
Where can I see Māori taonga in Palmerston North?
At Te Manawa on Main Street, open daily 10am to 5pm, with free general admission.
Is there a marae in Palmerston North?
Te Hotu Manawa o Rangitāne o Manawatū on Maxwells Line in Awapuni is the city’s Rangitāne marae. Visits are by invitation or arrangement.
Where can I learn te reo Māori in Palmerston North?
Te Wānanga o Aotearoa teaches a Level 1 classroom course with no fees at its Hokowhitu Campus, and UCOL runs a fees-free beginners’ course.