Pōwhiri and Mihi Whakatau at Otago Polytechnic
We welcome guests and newcomers to campus according to Kāi Tahu tradition. Find out what to expect during formal and informal Māori welcoming ceremonies.
At Otago Polytechnic, we have a strong relationship with mana whenua, the local Māori people who have a relationship with the land we are on. In the case of Otago, mana whenua is Kāi Tahu. We uphold our relationship with mana whenua by supporting and incorporating cultural practices into our organisation. Kāi Tahu has agency over the most appropriate tikanga, or way of doing things, on this land. This also ensures that Otago Polytechnic is a culturally appropriate space for all our Māori ākonga (students) and kaimahi (staff).
Below you will find some details about the new tikanga around pōwhiri and mihi whakatau, as well as resources to consult if you want more details. If you have any questions, please ask the Kaitohutohu office (KTO).
What is the difference between a pōwhiri and a mihi whakatau?
Pōwhiri and mihi whakatau are both ways of welcoming guests and establishing connections.
A pōwhiri is a formal welcome, traditionally onto a marae, the traditional meeting grounds. The tangata whenua (hosts) invite the manuhiri (visitors) onto the land in a way that ensures everybody is spiritually and physically safe.
A mihi whakatau is less formal and contains fewer ceremonial elements. Generally, pōwhiri is held on a marae, and mihi whakatau can occur in places outside the marae. A mihi whakatau is also a chance for tauiwi, non-Māori, to speak as part of the process, while pōwhiri have more protocol around who can speak and when.
In 2024, Otago Polytechnic held a pōwhiri, led by mana whenua, to welcome all new kaimahi and ākonga to Otago Polytechnic. This was the first time we held a single pōwhiri for everyone, a way of uniting our community. Holding a pōwhiri outside a marae is a special privilege granted by mana whenua, so our pōwhiri also celebrates the bond between OP and mana whenua. Other pōwhiri may be held throughout the year, including a pōwhiri specifically to welcome Māori students.
In addition to the pōwhiri, we continue to use mihi whakatau to welcome visitors and guests to Otago Polytechnic. A mihi whakatau can be arranged with KTO.
For more details about the difference between a pōwhiri and a mihi whakatau, give this episode of the Taringa podcast a listen.
What can I expect during a Pōwhiri?
Pōwhiri have a set of tikanga (practices) that might vary on different marae or on different occasions. Here we will outline what you can expect from a pōwhiri at Otago Polytechnic. For more general information, watch the first episode of the show Hongi to Hāngī: And Everything in Between.
There is no dress code, but please be neat and tidy as a show of respect.
Arrive early so the group is ready when the ceremony starts. If you are unsure what to do, please ask. There will always be someone with experience leading visitors through the process.
We hope you will enjoy the experience. A pōwhiri signifies coming together for shared purpose and showcases many beautiful Māori arts and traditions throughout the process.
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Parts of a Pōwhiri |
Parts of a mihi whakatau |
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Karanga |
Host speeches |
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Whaikōrero |
Waiata kīnaki |
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Waiata kīnaki |
Guest Speeches |
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Koha |
Waiata kīnaki |
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Hariru and hongi |
Hariru and hongi |
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Hākari |
Kai |
Parts of a pōwhiri
The ceremony begins with a woman’s voice calling the manuhiri, visitors, into the space. The caller is the kaikaranga, a wahine Māori who has deep knowledge of this tradition. The visitors will also have a kaikaranga, who responds. The two kaikaranga call back and forth as the manuhiri are led onto the grounds.
For more on karanga from a Kāi Tahu perspective, click here.
For an article on the spiritual and metaphysical significance of karanga, click to download this article:“Karanga: Connecting to Papatūānku”.
And explore the episodes of the documentary series Karanga: The First Voice on Māori+.
After the karanga, the manuhiri are brought into an area to be seated. It is traditional for men to sit at the front, with women and children behind them. Historically, men would be warriors expected to physically defend everyone else in the case of an attack. The future of the people relies on the survival of women and children. In te ao Māori, these gender roles have equal mana, or status.
During the organisation-wide Otago Polytechnic pōwhiri, it is not expected that the manuhiri separate according to gender, but in other pōwhiri contexts you may be expected to follow this tradition.
For more information about gender diversity within te ao Māori, visit the Takatāpui resource hub. Conversations about gender in tikanga Māori are ongoing and may be different from place to place.
Once everyone is seated, the formal speeches begin. These speeches are delivered by men, the kaikōrero who are generally elders. The whaikōrero address the bonds and relationship between the tangata whenua and manuhiri, along with the purpose of the gathering. Local custom is that tangata whenua are the first and last to whaikōrero.
Click here for an article about the contemporary system of whaikōrero.
Check out Whaikōrero, a documentary series on Māori+.
Each side of the gathering will sing a waiata kīnaka, a song of support, after the whaikōrero. This song relates to the meaning of the speech and shows that the group agrees with what has just been said. For Otago Polytechnic pōwhiri, we will let you know the waiata ahead of time so you can practice and join in during the occasion.
The manuhiri offer a koha, a gift, to tangata whenua in exchange for their hospitality. While the koha can take many different forms, in contemporary practice it is often money. In most cases when you attend an Otago Polytechnic pōwhiri, the koha is provided by Otago Polytechnic on behalf of all the manuhiri attending. However there are some situations where personal contributions are appropriate, which will be communicated ahead of time.
During the pōwhiri each group remains on their side of the space, until this point when the manuhiri move to hariru, shake hands, and hongi, press noses to share breath. Follow the lead of tangata whenua as to how to proceed. During an OP pōwhiri, following local protocol, the hongi begins kaikaranga to kaikaranga, kaikōrero to kaikōrero, and everybody else follows.
During large ceremonies, this may change as it becomes impractical for everyone to hariru and hongi.
Not sure how to hongi? Check out this short video.
The pōwhiri ends with the sharing of kai, food. Eating lifts the state of tapu, which is a spiritual or restricted state, and brings everyone back into balance.
A hongi at a mihi whakatau.
What can I expect during a mihi whakatau?
The mihi whakatau is shorter and less formal than a pōwhiri, but still meets the spiritual requirements of bringing manuhiri, guests into our space. Seating remains the same as in a pōwhiri, with the requirement that the space between hosts and manuhiri not be crossed until the hongi.
Guests are welcomed with a speech from mana whenua, first in Māori and then in English, usually followed by a second speaker from the institution. This is be followed by a waiata (song) sung by the group as a way of acknowledging the words of the speakers.
The manuhiri are given the opportunity to make a speech. The group will have a spokesperson give a speech on their behalf, in their own language and/or in English. This in turn is acknowledged with a song by the rest of the group, who need to stand whilst singing. This could be a national anthem, a university or institutional song, or a folk song from the visitors’ culture.
The guests are then invited over to the host side to hongi. This is done by shaking hands, the hariru, and gently pressing noses together, the hongi. The sharing of breath is symbolic of the beginning of the new relationship.
Not sure how to hongi? Check out this short video.
Once the hongi is completed, the manuhiri are invited to share some food (kai) provided by the hosts. Before we eat, the food will be blessed with a karakia (blessing) — please wait for this to happen. This brings the formal process of the mihi whakatau to an end.
