More than 20 cultures will come together at this year’s Pōwhiri for Migrants in Tauranga.

Held at Te Whetu O Te Rangi Marae tomorrow, the event offers newcomers, migrants and their families the opportunity to experience a traditional Māori welcome and connect with mana whenua, community leaders and people of all cultures from across the region.

Tauranga Mayor Mahé Drysdale said the event helps foster a welcoming and inclusive city, where everyone feels they belong.

“Tauranga continues to grow as a diverse and vibrant city, and our community is stronger because of it. This pōwhiri is a special opportunity to celebrate the many cultures that enrich our city and for newcomers to experience our city’s manaakitanga.

“I hope attendees leave with a genuine feeling of belonging and make connections that help Tauranga feel like home.”

Hosted by the haukāinga of Te Whetū o Te Rangi Marae (Ngāti Pūkenga), with the support of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Te Rangi Iwi Trust and organised by Multicultural Tauranga, the pōwhiri has become a valued tradition in the region’s increasingly diverse community calendar.

Bringing this vision to life is Multicultural Tauranga, a for-purpose community organisation that supports migrant and ethnic communities as they build new lives in Aotearoa.

For Multicultural Tauranga president Premila D’Mello, the event creates something far deeper than a formal welcome.

“Helping bring the vision behind the pōwhiri to life is some of the most meaningful mahi we do for our multicultural community. It creates a space where migrants don’t just feel welcomed; they feel genuinely seen, valued and connected to the land and its people.”

Working alongside Welcoming Communities and multicultural leaders from across the Bay of Plenty, Multicultural Tauranga helps build meaningful connections between migrant communities and mana whenua.

This year, communities from regions including China, Korea, Scotland, India, the Philippines, Indonesia, the Pacific Islands, Latin America, South Africa, Pakistan, Mongolia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Pakistan and Bangladesh will be represented.

The Tauranga City Council’s strategic adviser: ethnic, migrant and Pacific communities, Haidee Kalirai, said the pōwhiri often gives migrants their first chance to experience a marae and build a relationship with mana whenua.

“For many migrants, this is their first experience of a marae and an opportunity to connect with mana whenua. The feedback is often that as well as the experience of being formally welcomed by mana whenua, it also supports people to being more strongly connected to the place and people where they live.”

This year’s pōwhiri is expected to welcome Māori leader Sir Mark Solomon; Race Relations Commissioner Dr Melissa Derby; Ministry for Ethnic Communities chief executive Pratima Namasivayam; Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) national adviser for welcoming communities Janet Akeripa; Police Deputy Commissioner William Loughrin; local MPs, iwi representatives and community leaders.

D’Mello said the pōwhiri represents breaking the pot and planting those roots in the soil of Aotearoa, allowing old and new identities to grow side by side.

“The Pōwhiri for Migrants does not ask newcomers to choose between where they came from and where they now live.

“Instead, it creates space for both identities to flourish.”

Attendees leave with a badge, a hongi, a shared meal and, often, a deeper sense of belonging to the place they now call home.

The event is supported by the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the Tauranga City Council via the MBIE-accredited Welcoming Communities programme and the Tauranga Western Bay Community Event Fund.