Taneatua: Tūhoe History and Te Kura Whare

Taneatua lies in the Ngāi-Tūhoe area, where the Whakatāne and Waimana rivers meet. The town is known as the “Gateway to Tūhoe”. Families who enjoy learning more about Māori history and contemporary life will find a special cultural focus here: Te Kura Whare reflects the values of Tūhoe and Te Mana Motuhake o Tūhoe, and shares Tūhoe’s past, present and future.

Local history and Tūhoe connections

The area’s history encompasses both settlement and the development of the township. Tāneatua, the ancestor of the Urewera iwi, was a tohunga of the Mataatua waka and settled in this area. The township was established in 1896 and was then called Ōpouriao North. These historical connections provide context for the town’s name and cultural character beyond a simple description of the place.

The history of transport is also part of the town’s development: in 1928, Taneatua became the railhead for the Bay of Plenty section of the East Coast Main Trunk Line, and remained so. For travellers interested in how a place came about and its history, this adds another perspective to its connection with Tūhoe.

Te Kura Whare: history and event spaces

Te Kura Whare is New Zealand’s first Living Building. The building tells the story of Tūhoe and shares their past, present and future. If you like to connect your stay with a cultural theme, this offers a tangible reason to learn about Tūhoe and the values reflected by Te Kura Whare. For a family trip, it can provide a shared focus for conversation and discovery.

Te Kura Whare also offers the opportunity to hold hui or events there. The different rooms and capacities are a useful guide: the Tribal Chamber can accommodate up to 500 people. There are also three smaller hui rooms, each with seating for up to eight. The outdoor amphitheatre is available for outdoor events with up to 3,000 people. If you are travelling to Taneatua for a hui or event, these figures give you an idea of the stated capacities of the venues.

Discoveries and dining at Mou Mou Kai Café

At Mou Mou Kai Café, guests can take a self-guided tour or sit down in the café. This gives you the option to explore independently as well as take a break at the café. The kitchen serves a selection of rustic modern dishes featuring the flavours of Te Urewera; the food is inspired by the coast and Te Urewera. These culinary influences bring different regional flavours to the table, without reducing Taneatua to just one theme.

The café offers in-house catering for events and occasions at Te Kura Whare. On-site catering for events at Te Kura Whare is also available on request. If you’d like to combine your trip with an event, this is useful information for your planning; for a stay focused on local history and food, the cultural connections and café take centre stage.

Which kind of stay suits your interests?

Taneatua is an especially appealing destination if you’d like to discover a place with strong ties to Tūhoe and are interested in Te Kura Whare, local history or the cuisine at Mou Mou Kai Café. When choosing your holiday rental, consider which of these themes you’d like to shape your stay. The available information does not specify distances between the different points of interest, so don’t assume they can all be visited on a single route. For families, it may be helpful to discuss in advance whether cultural insights, the town’s history or food will be the main focus of the holiday.

Discover more places

For more places to explore: Ohope, Whakatane, Minginui, Matata, Edgecumbe, Nukuhou, Murupara and Awakeri.

For the broader travel overview: Whakatane District.