December 15, 2023
Airport hotel expression on mana motuhake
The chief advisor to the Māori king says Auckland Airport’s new Te Arikinui Pullman hotel is display of manaakitanga Māori to the world.
The five star hotel is a 50/50 venture between Tainui Group Holdings and the airport company, managed by Accor Hotels.
Rāhui Papa says it’s a private development not beholden to the government and in line with Tainui’s aspirations of mana motuhake.
“The kīngitanga has always been of the view that, we will do things in our way and te iwi Māori will do things in their way. As we talked about it with all of the political parties at the koroneihana last year, you can get on board or you get out of our road because we’re not stopping on our pathway to mana motuhake,” he says.
Mr Papa says Māori design is incorproated from the detailing of windows to whakairo in the lobby.