“Grateful For This Experience. Tangi Weepu, our Maori guide, is a beautiful soul and a living manifestation of Maori beliefs, culture, and spirituality. Even if we hadn’t had the thrilling experience of the Arahura River gifting us several gorgeous pieces of Pounamu and being taught by a master how to turn them into necklaces (which we did!), our time with Tangi would have been one of the most affecting and memorable experiences in New Zealand.”
— Traveller
“10/10 Genuine Cultural Experience. This is an incredibly touching and special experience. Tangi is a master of his craft and of storytelling. I had such a beautiful afternoon listening to the community’s history, the history of pounamu and getting out into the river to find some ourselves. After a cup of tea and a biscuit, he also helped me turn some of my finds into necklaces. This is an experience I will never forget and has really enriched my trip to New Zealand and is something I will continue to carry with me. I recommend this to EVERYONE. Go out of your way to spend the day with Tangi. You will not regret it.”
— Kenzi, Salt Lake City, UT
“One of a kind personal experience! This was truly one of the most special experiences of my time in Aotearoa New Zealand. Shanice offered a warm welcome and shared the origin story of pounamu at the side of the Ahahura river - and gave us time to find the piece of pounamu that spoke to us. We were able to create a necklace on the spot… a taonga (treasure) that will be passed down for generations. If you are anywhere lose to Hokitika, be sure to take this fabulous, very personal tour.”
— Lyndele, Charlottesville, VA
“I did the 4 hour greenstone tour with Shanice and it was one of the highlights of my Aotearoa/NZ trip. After travelling for two weeks in the south island, I found authentic cultural experiences to be lacking until I stumbled upon Arahura Greenstone Tours. I met Shanice in the heritage park where I started to learn about the Kati Waewae tribe, who are the guardians of the pounamu/greenstone. I was welcomed into their village by the river, and learned the history and cultural background of greenstone. We spent hours by the river, letting the greenstone find us, and after some coffee and cookies - I was able to create my own greenstone pendants. With the four hour tour, I was also shown their marae (communal and sacred building) and learned even more about their culture and traditions. I am so grateful for the time I shared with Shanice, and the afternoon felt more like connecting and learning from a new friend than a performative tourist experience. Highly recommend!! Thank you Shanice 💚”
— amylc3698
“We had such a wonderful time doing this activity. Tangi was so knowledgable about Maori history and culture, and we loved hearing the story of the greenstone. We also had so much fun picking our own greenstones from the river and making some necklaces. We were lucky enough to find lots of greenstone, including some Waitiki, so have a couple of small bags full to take home. We were on a tight time schedule and Tangi went out of his way to pick us up from and drop us off at our hotel to ensure we didn’t miss our bus. ”
