Maori return home for festival | Northland News | Local News in Northland

New Zealand's largest iwi - Ngapuhi - is luring its people home with an inaugural festival to link Maori with their "roots".

Ngapuhi runanga chairman Sonny Tau was chuffed Maori from as far afield as England and America were coming home to attend the Ngapuhi Festival in Kaikohe over the Northland Anniversary weekend at the end of the month.

Over 5500 people are expected to flock to Kaikohe, the heartland of the iwi, for entertainment, art exhibitions, food and lectures from guest speakers on January 29 and 30. About 360 stalls will be at the festival.

The highlights include performances by Maori dancer Mika and an art display from Lisa Reihana.

Mr Tau said the festival was "long overdue" as the runanga had spent a lot of time being "involved in so many political activities that have fatigued our people" and not enough on celebrating their "Ngapuhitanga".

"We thought it was the best way to bring people home - a lot haven't been home - and connect them with their iwi and their relations," Mr Tau said.

Over 100,000 people belong to Ngapuhi, according to the 2001 census, but because of the "urban drift" starting in the 1950s, many had not seen their tribal "home" he said.

That meant a big attraction at the festival for those people were whakapapa (genealogy) lectures, Mr Tau said.

Other lectures cover topics such as the future of Ngapuhi women, while foodstalls will be full of seafood and hangi and the art exhibition will showcase plenty of weaving and carving pieces. Entry to the festival at Lindvart Park, Kaikohe is free.