New Zealand has a unique and dynamic culture. The culture of its indigenous M?ori people affects the language, the arts, and even the accents of all New Zealanders. Their place in the South Pacific, and their love of the outdoors, sport, and the arts make New Zealanders and their culture unique in the world. New Zealand's spectacularly beautiful landscape includes vast mountain chains, steaming volcanoes, sweeping coastlines, deeply indented fiords and lush rainforests. Comparable in size and/or shape to Great Britain, Colorado or Japan, New Zealand has a population of only 4 million - making it one of the world's least crowded countries. It is a haven for those seeking peace, rejuvenation and relaxation as well as a playground for thrill seekers and adventurers. A temperate climate with relatively small seasonal variation makes it an ideal year-round holiday destination.

Rich and Varied
M?ori culture is a rich and varied one, and includes traditional and contemporary arts. Traditional arts such as carving, weaving, kapa haka (group performance), whaikorero (oratory) and moko (tattoo) are practised throughout the country. Practitioners following in the footsteps of their tipuna (ancestors) replicate the techniques used hundreds of years ago, yet also develop exciting new techniques and forms. Today M?ori culture also includes art, film, television, poetry, theatre, and hip-hop.
Te Reo M?ori — the M?ori Language - The visitor to New Zealand will become immediately aware of the M?ori language as the vast majority of place names are of M?ori origin. At first, visitors may be puzzled by the seemingly impossible- to-pronounce names. In fact, M?ori has a logical structure, and, unlike English, has very consistent rules of pronunciation. 

Kapiti Coast  Just a step way from Wellington lies an area of spectacular sea vistas, glorious sunsets, untouched native forest and dramatic hillscapes.  As you enter the coast, just 40 minutes drive from central Wellington, and see the magnificent Kapiti Island and the beaches stretching along the coast any thoughts of the city are left behind as the more relaxed, refreshing atmosphere of our coastal region takes over. This is the Kapiti Coast, home to the Kapiti Island nature and marine reserves and a host of activities ranging from exhilarating outdoor adventures to a superb variety of shopping. Add in New Zealand's top golf course, a world class car museum, magnificently restored trams, easily accessible nature reserves and arts and crafts that match the best in the country, the Kapiti Coast has something for everyone. A day trip, a weekend away, or a stopover en route further north or south are all very viable options for visitors to Kapiti region - just a step away from Wellington

How Do You Say Onehunga, Whangamomona, Kahikatea, and Nguru? 
M?ori consists of five vowel sounds: a e i o u (‘a’ as in ‘car’, ‘e’ as in ‘egg’, ‘i’ like the ‘ee’ in ‘tee’, ‘o’ as in ‘four’, ‘u’ like an ‘o’ in ‘to’). There are eight consonants in M?ori similar to those in English — ‘h’, ‘k’, ‘m’, ‘n’, ‘p’, ‘r’, ‘t’, and ‘w’. There are also two different consonants — ‘wh’ and ‘ng’. Many M?ori pronounce the ‘wh’ sound similar to our ‘f’. The ‘ng’ is similar to our own ‘ng’ sound in a word like ‘sing’, except that in M?ori, words can start with ‘ng’.