Damage after a fire at Mitai Māori Village. Photo / Annabel Reid
It’s been 10 days since fire ripped through Mitai Māori Village, but despite the devastation, not a single visitor has been turned away.
Owner Wetini Mitai Ngatai said he was “simply blown away” by the support they received from friends, family and fellow tourism businesses to ensure their hāngi and concert cultural experience remained open and their staff employed.
He said they were now planning to build back bigger and better to ensure the business remained strong.
A lamp fixed to a ponga fence caused the fire, which broke out about 10pm on November 4.
The fire destroyed the performance area. Firefighters were able to stop the fire from spreading up Mt Ngongotahā and destroying bush areas.
Mitai Ngatai said he was at the site when a worker rushed into the office saying there was a fire.
He tried to run inside the performance area to rescue a replica carving of ancestor Pūkaki, but his son twice pulled him back.
“I tried, but all the smoke was coming across the stage and I couldn’t get in … My son was dragging me out and saying, ‘Dad, don’t do it.’”
Mitai Ngatai said family and friends arrived early the next day and immediately got to work to make a new temporary performance area.
He said by 11am – 13 hours after the fire – they opened the doors again to visitors.
For the following four days, they were able to carry on with their two concerts a day before moving to a marquee elsewhere on site.
They will remain there until the performance area is rebuilt on the fire site.
Mitai Ngatai said they were now considering ways to make the new performance area bigger and better than before.
He said he could not thank everyone enough for their generosity.
He said everyone “threw on the gumboots”, picked up a hammer or broom and got to work to make sure the village would be okay.
They received support not only from family and friends but also from fellow Māori tourism businesses Te Pā Tū and Te Puia.
New Zealand Māori Tourism offered great support, and Skyline Rotorua sent pizzas for staff and helpers, he said.
Excavator Charlie Hubbard and his team turned up immediately and got stuck in with clean-up work.
Mitai Ngatai said it was heartening to see his sons and nephews pitching in and working hard like he had done when he first set up the business.
“We just felt it so strongly the community was out there caring for us … They all just got stuck in because none of us wanted to disappoint any visitors.
“For the likes of Te Puia and Te Pā Tū, we aren’t in competition, we are all here providing jobs for our people. They came to help us, and at the end of the day we are all family.”
He said he would ensure that once the new performance area was finished, there would be a better sprinkler system.
He also wanted to ask relevant authorities if a fire hydrant or access to water could be moved closer to Mitai Māori Village to ensure the mountain and the bush area were protected if there was another fire.
“We were just lucky the wind was blowing the other way and there wasn’t more damage or anyone hurt.”
A Fire and Emergency spokesperson told the Rotorua Daily Post an external spotlight caused the fire.
“The heat from the spotlight ignited a nearby ponga fence,” the spokesperson said.
Kelly Makiha is a senior journalist who has reported for the Rotorua Daily Post for more than 25 years, covering mainly police, court, human interest and social issues.