Te Wharekura

21/08/2026

To Our Te Wharekura Community

Today and tomorrow, our doors will remain closed.

Our team is taking time to honour the life of a colleague and friend who meant so much to us.

Thank you for your patience, understanding, and respect during this time. We look forward to welcoming you back soon.

11/08/2026

He Hākari Kōrero: A Feast of Stories

What if heritage could be tasted without eating? 👀

As part of the Auckland Heritage Festival 2026 -Tastes of Tāmaki: A Heritage Feast, come gather at Te Wharekura for a unique, sensory-led journey into the stories of this place.

📅 Saturday 10 October
⏰ 11am - 12pm
📍 Te Wharekura, 117 Quay Street, Auckland CBD
💚 FREE | All welcome

Facilitated by Cassius Makoare, this one-hour kōrero invites you to experience heritage through story, conversation, memory & the senses, grounded in the whakapapa & presence of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei.

🌱 Explore traditional & contemporary approaches to growing & gathering kai

🥔 Discover stories around kūmara, hue & cultivation

👂 Listen, kōrero, share & reflect on seasonal knowledge

📯 Experience the powerful sound of the pūkaea, a traditional Māori trumpet

This is more than a talk, it’s an opportunity to feel, explore & connect with a living heritage.

Food tells stories of whenua, migration, resilience, innovation & manaakitanga. At Te Wharekura, we’re inviting you to think about how heritage can be ‘consumed’ in other ways too; through listening, sensing, learning & meaningful exchange.

FREE | ALL WELCOME

17/07/2026

HAPPY MATARIKI! ✨

TODAY | 11am 🌟

Start your Matariki with Matariki Kōrero led by Etienne Neho (Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei) at the beautiful Te Wharekura.

Join us for an engaging hour of storytelling, mātauranga Māori & kōrero that connects Matariki to the whenua, moana & the stories of Tāmaki Makaurau.

📅 TODAY - Saturday 18 July
🕚 11am - 12pm
📍 Te Wharekura, Auckland Waterfront
🎟️ FREE

Come curious. Leave inspired.

Mānawatia a Matariki! ✨🌌

13/07/2026

✨ What a beautiful way to spend a Matariki morning. ✨

On Saturday, Te Wharekura welcomed whānau, manuhiri, curious passers-by & visitors from around the world for Matariki Kōrero - Tahi, led by Etienne Neho (Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei) as part of Matariki Festival '26.

With the Waitematā sparkling outside, we explored the stories of Te Kāhui o Matariki, wandered through the whare & waterfront, discovering how the whetū continue to guide our understanding of the seasons, waterways, food gathering & our relationship with te taiao.

It was especially heartening to welcomea group of rangatahi from the USA, keen to learn more about te ao Māori. Thank you to everyone who joined us & to Etienne for sharing his knowledge so generously.

🌟 Missed it? There's one more opportunity!

Matariki Kōrero - Rua
📅 Saturday 18 July
🕚 11am - 12pm
📍 Te Wharekura, 117 Quay Street, Auckland Waterfront
🎟️ FREE | All ages welcome

Whether you're just beginning your journey into te ao Māori or simply want to deepen your understanding of Matariki, we'd love to welcome you.

The Auckland Matariki Festival has transformed our city with an incredible programme of events, exhibitions, performances & experiences. If you haven't explored it yet, there's still plenty to discover this week.

Nau mai, haere mai. We'll see you by the harbour this Saturday. ✨

08/07/2026

✨ Look up. Slow down. Reconnect. ✨

This Saturday, you're warmly invited to gather by the Waitematā Harbour for a special Matariki kōrero that will leave you seeing the night sky & Tāmaki Makaurau, in a whole new light.

🌌 Matariki Kōrero Tahi
📅 THIS Saturday - 11 July
🕚 11 - 12pm
📍 Te Wharekura, 117 Quay Street, Auckland Central
🎟️ FREE | All ages welcome

Led by Etienne Neho (Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei), these welcoming sessions weave together mātauranga Māori, environmental knowledge & the living stories of Te Kāhui o Matariki.

Discover Matariki not simply as a cluster of stars, but as a living system of knowledge connecting us to the whenua beneath our feet, the waters that surround us, the skies above & one another.

Together we'll explore:
✨ The stories &meaning of each whetū
🌧️ How the stars guide our understanding of rain, waterways, food sources & the seasons
🕊️ A time for remembrance, gratitude, renewal & setting intentions for the year ahead
🌿 The enduring relationship between people, place & te taiao

Whether you're beginning your journey into te ao Māori or have celebrated Matariki for years, this is a beautiful opportunity to listen, learn, ask questions & connect with community in one of Auckland's most unique waterfront spaces.

Bring your whānau, bring a friend, or simply bring your curiosity.

Nau mai, haere mai. We would love to welcome you. ✨

Can't make this Saturday? Join us again for Matariki Kōrero Rua on Saturday 18 July, 11am -12pm.

🌟 Kore utu | FREE | Everyone welcome

25/06/2026

This Matariki, come and sit with us at Te Wharekura. Two free community kōrero, guided tours through central Tāmaki Makaurau, and stories held by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei. Open to whānau, kura, and workplaces. Sign up details in the comments below.

17/06/2026

Te Whare Karioi on the airwaves! 🎶

A wonderful radio story featuring Te Whare Karioi's performances has now been shared by Wellington Access Radio.

A huge thank you to Hudson for taking the time to attend the performances, capture the kaupapa & create a story around this special programme.

Thank you also to Piripi for sharing his insights through the interview & to all the performers who brought such energy, culture and connection to the waterfront throughout NZ Music Month.

You can check it out here: "Episode: The Rundown - 10th June” - https://accessradio.org.nz/shows-podcasts/the-rundown/

Ngā mihi to everyone involved for helping share these stories & celebrating Māori music, performance & community. ❤️

Once a week the studios of Wellington Access Radio are transformed into a live newsroom when journalism students from Massey University broadcast ‘The Rundown’, a live news show. Students spend the morning at the studio researching and creating their bulletin, and then go live at 1pm, showcasing...

15/06/2026

https://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2026/matariki-korero/auckland - Ka
kite ākuanei ✨✨✨
Kore utu – Nau mai, haere mai e te whānau katoa ✨✨✨

SAVE THE DATE - See you soon ✨✨✨
FREE - All welcome ✨✨✨

Matariki Kōrero, Tēnā koutou katoa, nau mai, haere mai. In celebration of ..., Te Wharekura, Auckland, Auckland, 11 July 2026 - 18 July 202

04/06/2026

✨ Matariki tuia ngā whetū, tuia ngā tāngata ✨
Matariki, weaver of the stars, weaver of the people.

As part of Matariki Festival 2026, we warmly invite you to join us at Te Wharekura for two special Matariki Kōrero sessions overlooking the beautiful Waitematā Harbour.

🌟 Matariki Kōrero - Tahi
📅 Saturday 11 July | 11am–12pm

🌟 Matariki Kōrero - Rua
📅 Saturday 18 July | 11am–12pm

📍 Te Wharekura, 117 Quay Street, Auckland Central
🎟 FREE | All ages welcome

Gather with whānau, tamariki, manuhiri & community as we explore the stories, wisdom & significance of Te Kāhui o Matariki through gentle storytelling, reflection & conversation.

Led by Etienne Neho, Māra Kai Manager & environmental practitioner with Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, these sessions offer a unique opportunity to learn from someone deeply connected to the whenua, maramataka, mātauranga Māori & the living relationship between people & place.

Many will know Etienne through his work growing community food systems, championing sustainable urban design & helping bring Māori environmental knowledge into the heart of Tāmaki Makaurau.

Grounded in the kaupapa of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, the tangata whenua of central Tāmaki Makaurau, these kōrero invite us to consider Matariki not simply as a cluster of stars, but as a living system of knowledge connecting us to the whenua beneath our feet, the waters that surround us & the skies above.

Together we'll reflect on remembrance, renewal, gratitude & aspiration; explore the roles of the individual whetū; discover how the stars continue to guide our understanding of rain, waterways, food sources, seasons & wellbeing.

This year's Matariki Festival theme, "Matariki tuia ngā whetū, tuia ngā tāngata", reminds us of the power of connection, between stars, people, communities, ancestors & future generations. These kōrero offer a space to slow down, listen, learn & connect with that enduring thread.

Nau mai, haere mai. We would love to see you there. ✨

30/05/2026

Great final performance by Te Whare Karioi! Over 1400 people were down at Te Wharekura celebrating the final week of Music Month | make sure to check out the website for upcoming Events!