Whakairo
The art of carving
Carved figures record genealogy and events. Every spiral, posture and eye is deliberate: form as language. Carving gives the house its structure and its ancestors.
Wolfgramm Holdings WH Relational Outcomes
A marae day, lived — not explained.
Three hours on a marae in Tāmaki Makaurau for up to 40 people. Called on with a karanga, welcomed with whaikōrero, fed with the food of this land, and sent home singing.
Nobody from your group has to speak or call. Our kaikaranga and kaikōrero carry those roles for you.
Your outline
3 hrsOn the marae, 10am to 1pm
40People in the group price
4Cultural facilitators
1Group booking fee, plus kai per person
Prepared for your organisation by WH Relational Outcomes · November 2026
Te Kaupapa · The intent
Most people read about the marae. Your group will stand on one, be called onto it, and leave as part of it.
Learn directly from marae hosts, discover the stories behind the carvings and take part in shared cultural activities. This is a professionally delivered cultural experience, not a venue visit: every part of the three hours is carried by experienced practitioners, so your people can be fully present, ask anything and never feel put on the spot.
Lived, not lectured
Your group moves through a real pōwhiri as manuhiri (guests) and finishes the day as part of the marae.
Safe for first-timers
A full briefing at the gate, a facilitator beside your group and plain-English explanation throughout. Designed with international students and visitors in mind.
Shaped to your group
Education providers, business teams and visitor groups each come for their own reasons. Tell us yours, and we shape the history lesson, the kōrero and the kai around it.
Te Rārangi · The day
Three hours, minute by minute.
An indicative run sheet from 10am to 1pm. The host marae confirms final timings and its kawa (protocol) before your visit. The shape of the day stays the same.
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10:00 to 10:15 15 min
Briefing at the gate
Te waharoa · the gateway
We meet your group at the waharoa, the gateway to the marae, for a calm, practical briefing: what is about to happen, where to stand, when to stay quiet and why phones go off. We also teach a short waiata (song) your group will sing in support of the speeches.
Nobody from a visiting group has to speak or call. Our kaikaranga and kaikōrero carry those roles for you, and a facilitator stays beside your group to quietly explain each step.
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10:15 to 10:25 10 min
The call
Te karanga · calling
A woman's voice calls out from the marae, and our kaikaranga answers on your behalf. Your group walks on slowly, together, remembering those who have passed, and is seated facing the wharenui (meeting house).
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10:25 to 10:50 25 min
The speeches
Te whaikōrero · traditional speech making
Speakers rise in turn to acknowledge the house, the land, those who have passed and the reason for the gathering. Each speech is closed with a waiata, and your group sings the one learned at the gate. A koha (gift) is laid down on your behalf.
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10:50 to 11:00 10 min
Becoming one
Te hongi me te whakanoa · touching of noses, and the return to a neutral space
Hands are shaken and breath is shared in the hongi. Then the whakanoa: a drink and a small bite lift the tapu (sacredness) of the welcome and return everyone to a neutral space. From here, your group are no longer visitors.
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11:00 to 11:15 15 min
Getting to know each other
Te whakawhanaungatanga · connection session
A warm, light session on who is in the room, where people come from and what connects them, so the rest of the day is shared between people rather than presented at them.
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11:15 to 12:00 45 min
The marae history lesson
Ngā kōrero o te marae · the history of the marae
Your group sits and listens to the history of the house, the stories in its carvings, and how to carry yourself in each space: what those spaces are and their relevance, from the gateway to the dining hall.
Preview the house below ↓ -
12:00 to 12:30 30 min
Kai
Te kai · food, in the wharekai (dining hall)
Everyone comes back together in the wharekai. Manaakitanga, care for guests, is shown most through food, and the conversation at the table is part of the learning. Sharing kai is part of the tikanga (protocols) of the marae, so a food option is compulsory: morning tea ($25 + GST per person) or NZ cuisine and beverages ($55–$75 + GST per person), charged on top of the booking fee.
Connected and Immersive: TKKM o Te Piripono perform while you eat. -
12:30 to 12:50 20 min
Learn an action song
Te waiata ā ringa · with TKKM o Te Piripono
Performers from TKKM o Te Piripono, a local total immersion Māori school, teach your group a waiata ā ringa, an action song where every hand movement carries meaning.
Connected and Immersive. -
12:50 to 1:00 10 min
Farewell
Te poroporoaki · farewell
Your group performs the action song back to the marae as its farewell and thanks. Closing words and a karakia end the day, and photographs, where the marae permits, come at the very end.
The action song is performed back with Connected and Immersive.
Te Wharenui · Know the house
The house is an ancestor.
A preview of the marae history lesson. The wharenui is built as the body of an ancestor: a head at the top, arms open in welcome and legs grounding it to the land. Tap a number or a name to see each part.
Te wharenui · the house as an ancestor
In front of the house
- Waharoa gatewayThe entrance to the marae, where your group gathers for the briefing and waits to be called on.
- Wharekai dining hallWhere manaakitanga comes to life, and where the kai is served.
Inside, the body continues. The ridgepole, tāhuhu, is the backbone; the rafters, heke, are the ribs; the carved wall panels, poupou, are named ancestors; and the central pillar, poutokomanawa, is the heart.
Stepping into a wharenui is stepping into the embrace of an ancestor. That idea alone changes how most people see the day.
Ngā Toi Māori · For creatives & students
One house. One design system.
For art, design, architecture and fashion enthusiasts and anyone who works with ideas, the wharenui is primary source material. In the marae history lesson, facilitators show how three art forms work together as one system, each carrying whakapapa (genealogy), identity and meaning.
Tukutuku
Woven panels
Lattice panels woven between the carvings. Each pattern has a name and a meaning: poutama, the stairway of learning; purapura whetū, the scattered stars; pātiki, the flounder.
Kōwhaiwhai
Painted patterns
Flowing red, black and white patterns painted along the rafters, built from the koru, the unfurling fern frond and a symbol of growth and new life.
Carving sets the structure. Tukutuku fills the walls with pattern and meaning. Kōwhaiwhai carries rhythm along the rafters. Read together, they are one design system.
Ask us about a creative focus for your group's history lesson.
Te Kai · Food & dietary options
From morning tea to a taste of Aotearoa.
Manaakitanga is shown most through food, and sharing kai is part of the tikanga (protocols) of the marae. That's why a food option is compulsory for every booking. Kai is charged per person, over and above the booking fee: $25 + GST per person for morning tea, up to $55–$75 + GST per person for a full shared meal of NZ cuisine with beverages. Each level has a matching food option, and any level can step up.
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With Essential & Connected
Morning tea
Flavours of the land
$25 + GST per person
- Rēwena (Māori potato bread) with NZ honey, butter and Marmite
- Fresh fruit and a sweet treat
- Tea, coffee, juice and water
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With Immersive
NZ cuisine & beverages
A taste of Aotearoa, cooked by Indigenous chefs
$55–$75 + GST per person
- Moana & awa: the best of the sea and the river, served individually
- From the whenua: rēwena with NZ honey, butter and Marmite
- A Kiwi classic to finish: NZ confectionery and fresh fruit
- Tea, coffee and cold drinks throughout
VegetarianVeganHalalGluten freeDairy freeAllergies on request
A food option is compulsory. Sharing kai is part of the tikanga of the marae and completes the whakanoa. The kai is over and above the booking fee of $8,995 + GST and starts at $25 + GST per person to $55–$75 + GST per person depending on the experience that is chosen.
Kai is charged to your final numbers. Water and refreshments are always available.
Indicative menus. The final menu is confirmed with the caterer and the marae once your dietary requirements are known.
Te Rōpū · Who carries the day
The people are the experience.
Four cultural facilitators lead the day, so there is always an expert close to every person in your group.
Kaiārahi marae
Marae orientation lead
Leads the briefing at the gate and the marae history lesson: the names, purposes and stories of every part of the marae.
Kaiako waiata
Waiata lead
Teaches the support waiata before the welcome, and works with TKKM o Te Piripono on the action song.
Kaiwhakamārama
Tikanga & interpretation guide
Sits with your group through the pōwhiri and explains what is happening as it happens, with particular care for international visitors.
Kaitiaki rōpū
Connection & group lead
Leads the whakawhanaungatanga session and keeps your whole group moving together, on time and at ease.
Kaikaranga · caller
The karanga
The woman whose call brings your group onto the marae, answering the hosts on your behalf.
Kaikōrero · speaker
The whaikōrero
The orator who speaks for your group with the depth and protocol the occasion deserves.
Kura · Connected & Immersive
TKKM o Te Piripono
Performers from a local total immersion Māori school, who perform while you eat and then teach your group the action song.
Caterers
The kitchen team
Prepare and serve the kai and look after setup and clean-up, so your people simply sit down and eat. Immersive brings two Indigenous chefs and two kitchen staff.
Ngā Hua · What they leave with
Three hours. A lasting reference point.
- 01They've lived a pōwhiriNot watched one: moved through one, and understood each stage as it happened.
- 02They can read a maraeThe names and purpose of each space, and how to carry themselves in each one.
- 03They see the house as an ancestorThe carvings, the stories they hold, and Māori art as one design system.
- 04They carry tikanga with confidenceA clearer understanding of Māori customs and protocols, ready for the next marae, hui or pōwhiri.
- 05They know a waiata ā ringaAn action song they've learned, performed back to the marae, and can take with them.
- 06They leave connectedManaakitanga felt at the table, stronger relationships with each other, and, for international visitors, a genuine connection to Aotearoa.
Te Haumi · Options & investment
From $8,995 + GST. Three levels of experience.
Every level is the full three hours on the marae for up to 40 people, with the pōwhiri, four facilitators and the marae history lesson. The entry level booking fee is $8,995 + GST for the whole group. Connected and Immersive build on it and are quoted to your group. A food option is compulsory and is charged per person on top of the booking fee, from $25 + GST to $55–$75 + GST per person depending on the experience chosen.
Kia Mōhio
To know and understand
Entry level booking fee$8,995 + GST
up to 40 people
Kai is extra, per person.
- The full three hours: briefing, karanga, whaikōrero, hongi and whakanoa
- Whakawhanaungatanga and the marae history lesson
- Kai: morning tea, $25 + GST per person (extra)
Best for a first marae visit.
Kia Tūhono
To connect
Priced toYour group
Quoted with your date and numbers, building on the entry level
- Everything in Essential, plus:
- TKKM o Te Piripono perform during kai
- The kura teaches your group the action song
Best for groups who want to sing, share and connect.
Kia Rumaki
To immerse
Priced toYour group
Quoted with your date and numbers, building on the entry level
- Everything in Connected, plus:
- Kai: a shared meal of NZ cuisine with beverages, $55–$75 + GST per person (extra)
- Two Indigenous chefs and two kitchen staff
Best for a landmark day for a cohort, team or delegation.
1
Your date
Pricing depends on date availability. Give us two preferred dates and we check both with the host marae. Your price is confirmed once the marae confirms the date.
2
Your numbers
The group price covers up to 40 people. From 41 up to a maximum of 60 a session, it's $250 + GST per head. Over 60, it's planned as separate sessions. Kai is charged per person to your final numbers, which are due 10 working days before your visit.
3
Your level of experience
Essential $8,995 + GST, or Connected or Immersive quoted to your group, plus your compulsory food option: morning tea at $25 + GST, or NZ cuisine at $55–$75 + GST, per person. WH confirms your price in writing before anything is booked.
Bringing more than 40?
Our maximum is 60 visitors per session, so the marae, the facilitators and the kitchen can look after everyone properly. For a larger group we plan two separately scheduled three-hour sessions. Each session is priced as its own experience, and WH confirms the multi-session investment with you before anything is booked. From 41 people up to a maximum of 60, there is a $250 + GST per head rate.
Worked example: 45 people, Essential with morning tea
- Booking fee, up to 40 people$8,995
- 5 people over 40 × $250$1,250
- Morning tea, 45 people × $25$1,125
- Package total$11,370 + GST
All figures exclude GST. WH confirms your price once the marae confirms your date.
Included at every level
- Use of the wharenui, wharekai and wharepaku (toilets)
- Four cultural facilitators
- Kaikaranga and kaikōrero, so nobody in your group has to call or speak
- The koha, presented on your behalf
- Programme preparation, liaison with the marae and a run sheet
- A "before you visit" guide and checklist for every participant
- Dietary requirements catered for in your food option
- Water and refreshments throughout
- Parking for private cars and buses
- Accessibility arrangements, confirmed before the visit
Kai, charged per person
A food option is compulsory. Sharing kai is part of the tikanga of the marae and completes the whakanoa. The kai is over and above the booking fee of $8,995 + GST and starts at $25 + GST per person to $55–$75 + GST per person depending on the experience that is chosen.
Not included
- Transport to and from the marae. Parking for private cars and buses is included, so just let us know how your group is arriving.
Good to know
- Prices are in NZD and exclude GST unless shown.
- We prefer participants to be 16 years and older, so everyone can enjoy the Indigenous experience.
- A food option is compulsory for every booking, as sharing kai is part of the tikanga of the marae. It is charged per person on top of the booking fee.
- Final numbers and dietary requirements are due 10 working days before your visit.
- No date is reserved until the host marae authorises a hold. Where it does, WH may offer a 48-hour hold, with the expiry confirmed by email.
- Payment is due once your date is confirmed. Purchase orders are welcome.
- Photography and filming need the marae's permission and participants' consent.
Te Ara · How booking works
One conversation, wherever you start.
Website, WH SMS, email or a phone call: it's one conversation with one WH team, so you never have to start again. A person, not a machine, confirms every date and every price.
- Your outlineThis proposal: the day, the options and the starting prices for your group.
- A 20-minute conversation, if you'd like oneWith a WH representative, about your group, your goals and the investment. A conversation, not a commitment to book.
- Two preferred datesWe check both with the host marae.
- A 48-hour hold, when the marae authorises itWe confirm the expiry date and time by email. No date is reserved until the marae authorises the hold.
- ConfirmSend your request from this page (or by email), with your purchase order number if you use one. WH confirms your price in writing, and payment is due once your date is confirmed.
- Final numbersNumbers and dietary requirements are due 10 working days before your visit.
- The dayArrive by private car or bus (parking for both is included) and gather at the waharoa by 10am for the briefing. The welcome begins at 10:15, and from there we carry the day.
Kia tīmata · Let's begin
Ready when you are.
Tell us your preferred dates and a little about your group. Your request comes straight to the WH team, and we check your dates with the host marae and reply by email.
Sharing with your team?
Send this proposal to a colleague, or save it as a PDF for your finance team. The PDF prints cleanly on A4.
Paying by purchase order?
No problem. Add your PO number when you confirm, and we'll invoice to it and provide whatever supplier details your finance team needs.
To confirm
Email info@wgholdings.co.nz with your two preferred dates, estimated numbers, level of experience and purchase order number, or text 022 606 4444.
He aha te mea nui o te ao?
He tangata, he tangata, he tangata.
What is the most important thing in the world? It is people, it is people, it is people.
Kōrero mai · Let's talk
We'd be honoured to welcome your group onto the marae.
Breviss WolfgrammWH Relational Outcomes
About Wolfgramm Holdings. Founded in 2018, Wolfgramm Holdings Ltd is a Māori-owned business based in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, working across cultural capability, leadership development, AI and digital capability, and organisational transformation. WH Relational Outcomes leads with relationships, not products, which is why every marae experience begins with a conversation. Meet the team behind it