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On a dark morning in June 1886, many people, including the Māori artist Tene Waitere and his family, took shelter from Mount Tarawera during what was to become the deadliest volcanic eruption in New Zealand’s history. The structure that saved them, Hinemihi, was a meeting house carved by Waitere and Wero Taroi just a few years earlier. Today the house stands ten thousand miles away in Clandon Park, near London in the United Kingdom. Waitere would live to become one of the most prolific and celebrated carvers of his age, making canoes, tobacco pipes and walking sticks for his community, as well as vast, experimental artworks that reached a global audience.
The story of Tene Waitere captures the themes of this report. It echoes the value Indigenous tourism can bring – both to Indigenous communities, and to their visitors. Though he played a big part in local Māori life, Waitere primarily earned a living from tourism. He worked for a local hotel – The Geyser, where he had a small workshop – as well as visiting European collectors, and occasionally the New Zealand department for tourism. He wasn’t alone. It was common to see Māoris welcoming travellers arriving by schooner and whaleboat, drawn to the geothermal pools of the North Island’s Lakes District. Travel created employment not only for artists and craftsmen, but for tour guides, interpreters and hospitality staff. It was the kernel of a sector that employs some 350 million people worldwide to this day.
That so many of Waitere’s works are such a distance from where they were created – with pieces scattered around the UK, Germany, and the rest of Europe – is both a reflection of his international success, and a reminder that Indigenous voices and profits have frequently been appropriated. Despite being such a critical part of our sector, Indigenous tourism providers have many times been excluded from the opportunities that are readily available to others. This report seeks to highlight models for how Indigenous tourism can be better supported, with easier access to finance, better industry data as well as existing and emerging networks.
Above all, however, Waitere’s story is one of hope. More than a century later, his carvings remain celebrated by casual visitors and critics alike. Indigenous tourism continues to play a crucial role around the world, sparking opportunities to share traditional knowledge, practices, and languages.
Our hope is that this report encourages you to continue to support this important segment of Travel & Tourism, and to celebrate its remarkable legacy.
On a dark morning in June 1886, many people, including the Māori artist Tene Waitere and his family, took shelter from Mount Tarawera during what was to become the deadliest volcanic eruption in New Zealand’s history. The structure that saved them, Hinemihi, was a meeting house carved by Waitere and Wero Taroi just a few years earlier. Today the house stands ten thousand miles away in Clandon Park, near London in the United Kingdom. Waitere would live to become one of the most prolific and celebrated carvers of his age, making canoes, tobacco pipes and walking sticks for his community, as well as vast, experimental artworks that reached a global audience.
The story of Tene Waitere captures the themes of this report. It echoes the value Indigenous tourism can bring – both to Indigenous communities, and to their visitors. Though he played a big part in local Māori life, Waitere primarily earned a living from tourism. He worked for a local hotel – The Geyser, where he had a small workshop – as well as visiting European collectors, and occasionally the New Zealand department for tourism. He wasn’t alone. It was common to see Māoris welcoming travellers arriving by schooner and whaleboat, drawn to the geothermal pools of the North Island’s Lakes District. Travel created employment not only for artists and craftsmen, but for tour guides, interpreters and hospitality staff. It was the kernel of a sector that employs some 350 million people worldwide to this day.
That so many of Waitere’s works are such a distance from where they were created – with pieces scattered around the UK, Germany, and the rest of Europe – is both a reflection of his international success, and a reminder that Indigenous voices and profits have frequently been appropriated. Despite being such a critical part of our sector, Indigenous tourism providers have many times been excluded from the opportunities that are readily available to others. This report seeks to highlight models for how Indigenous tourism can be better supported, with easier access to finance, better industry data as well as existing and emerging networks.
Above all, however, Waitere’s story is one of hope. More than a century later, his carvings remain celebrated by casual visitors and critics alike. Indigenous tourism continues to play a crucial role around the world, sparking opportunities to share traditional knowledge, practices, and languages.
Our hope is that this report encourages you to continue to support this important segment of Travel & Tourism, and to celebrate its remarkable legacy.
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