Te Puia marks milestone with special welcome for whanau

Te Puia chief executive Tim Cossar says Te Puia New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute is part of the fabric of Rotorua and its people. Photo/File

Te Puia New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute has opened its gates to Rotorua residents by offering a free whanau pass for 2014.

One of Rotorua's iconic tourist attractions is celebrating its 50th anniversary and as part of the celebrations is offering a free Whanau Card to all Rotorua residents.

"We're very proud to have reached this milestone and hope to see many Rotorua families taking advantage of our free entry offer for locals," chief executive Tim Cossar said.

"We hope local families will take the opportunity to visit this summer to take part in school holiday activities and reacquaint themselves not only with the geothermal wonders of Te Whakarewarewa Valley, but also the Maori cultural offerings which are part of our legislated mandate to ensure the survival of traditional arts and crafts.

"We want our local community to take time out to enjoy what nearly 400,000 international visitors come to see every year.

"This place is important not only to Rotorua but to Aotearoa, New Zealand."

Many local families have strong ties to Te Puia and numerous guides at the attraction today are the latest in many generations of guides, Mr Cossar said.

"Our people are as special as the valley itself.

"They are passionate about our geothermal and cultural heritage and they share its story and the stories of the Maori who first settled here and the Te Arawa people who lived here with passion.

"There is a lot to see and we want to share it with locals as well as visitors. It really is a window into Maori cultural history and Rotorua's history," he said.

"Te Puia is part of the fabric of this city and its people, and we'd genuinely love to see Rotorua residents make this place one of their places, too."

During the summer school holidays Te Puia will be running a range of holiday activities including traditional Maori games and storytelling.

Whanau Card holders will be able to stroll through the active geothermal valley, see the resident kiwi in the kiwi house, and watch carvers and weavers at work. Wider New Zealand residents will be able to receive discounts of up to 40 per cent off on entry fees as well as off purchases in the Te Puia gift store and cafe.

Mr Cossar said visitors would also be able to visit the world-famous Pohutu Geyser, and the Papakura Geyser which had recently bubbled back into life.

He said there was also a number of important restorations of icons under way.

"The iconic Waharoa has been closely replicated and is now in place at the entry to Te Puia, while the much-photographed Pataka in Rotowhio Marae is undergoing a full restoration.

"Work is also starting in our new foundry on a major bronze work."

The Whanau Card is free for Rotorua locals with photo ID and proof of local address such as a utility bill.

Te Puia is open from 8am until 6pm seven days a week. For more information visit www.tepuia.com.