Hawke's Bay and Wairarapa could be turned into a "stadium of 250,000 people" as the region welcomes one of the world's biggest cultural performance festivals to Hastings in two years' time.
Ngati Kahungunu iwi chairman Ngahiwi Tomoana says the iwi wants everyone - from marae, to schools, to businesses, to local authorities - to be part of the powhiri for biennial Maori performing arts festival Te Matatini at the end of February 2017.
It is expected to be held over five days at the Hawke's Bay Regional Sports Park.
"They can't all be there," said Mr Ngahiwi, "but we want everyone to take part in the powhiri ... it could even be by live-streaming."
Mr Tomoana was speaking soon after returning to Hawke's Bay from the latest festival, which ended in Christchurch on Sunday and attracted about 10,000 visitors to the city, and venue crowds averaging 12,000 a day.
Bigger numbers are anticipated for Te Matatini 2017, which he says will cost about $4 million to stage - "which we will get in cash or kind" - but which he says will bring huge benefits to the region.
The potential was seen at the weekend, with Hastings deputy mayor Cynthia Bowers joining iwi representatives in Christchurch where the pounamu mauri symbolising the mana and strength of Te Matatini was handed over to the iwi on Sunday.
Transported from Christchurch to Wellington aboard the iwi-owned waka Te Matau a Maui, the mauri will travel the marae of the Kahungunu region mustering support for the festival.
"It has to be something that they all remember," Mr Tomoana said. "It hasn't been held here for more than 30 years, and it will be another 30 years before it is held in the area again."
Te Matatini dates back to a festival first held in in Rotorua in 1972, and it was last held in Hawke's Bay, at the showgrounds in Hastings, in 1983.
Mrs Bowers said she was "blown away" by everything at Te Matatini, from its size and infrastructure to the professionalism and passion of the 45 groups, which among them brought about 4000 performers and immediate supporters to Christchurch.
"It is one of those events where you cannot appreciate how big it is unless you are actually there," she said.
Four Kahungunu groups were among the performers at the festival, but were unable to break into the award-winning elite, as the standards soared.