After more than 130 years away, New Zealand's only repatriated and most-travelled Māori meeting house, Mataatua Wharenui, has come home. It stands once again as the unifying soul of the Ngāti Awa, one of the Māori tribes of the Bay of Plenty. 

Built in 1875, Mataatua Wharenui travelled to Sydney, Melbourne, Victoria and Albert Museum in the U.K., Dunedin and Otago. Finally, in 2011 it was rebuilt in its place of origin, Whakatāne. 

Your journey at Mataatua will ignite the soul within as you discover the extraordinary story of the house that has travelled through time. Mataatua is a living and breathing being, and our experiences provide an opportunity for intimate engagement with the people of Ngāti Awa. 

Be enthralled as the carvings and legends of Ngāti Awa are brought to life through world-class digital technology. HIKO: Legends Carved in Light was the 2011 GOLD Ngā Aho award winner from the New Zealand Designers Institute.