Multicultural Tauranga will welcome new migrants to the Bay of Plenty by hosting the second-ever Migrant Powhiri next Saturday, November 12.

Multicultural Cultural Tauranga's president Premila D'Mello says 2021's powhiri was groundbreaking – and born out of a challenge from Ngāi Te Rangi CEO Paora Stanley.

'The CEO of Ngāi Te Rangi challenged us last year to bring new migrants in the area together and have an event like this, and we took up that challenge so this is what we've decided to do,” says Premila.

Last year more than 400 people attended the event.

Tauranga City Council's diversity and culture advisor Haidee Kalirai hopes individual migrants and cultural community groups get along to this special occasion.

'We often hear from newcomers that they would like an opportunity to visit a marae, increase their understanding of Māori culture and build a relationship with Māori as tangata whenua – people of the land.

'This event is an important step in achieving this for all newcomers in our area and creating a sense of belonging to all,” says Haidee.

Ngāi Te Rangi CEO Paora Stanley says being part of a society that welcomes people of all nations is simply the right thing to do.

'Doing this as an iwi brings an even great value to this process. Te Runanga O Ngai te rangi Iwi Trust is proud to be part of this process.”

Premila says migrants who attended the last powhiri felt a special connection with the tangata whenua and the whenua once they had been welcomed through the powhiri process.

'We acknowledge the generosity and the aroha of Ngāi Te Rangi iwi to extend this welcome to the migrant community.”

The free Migrant Powhiri will be held 9.30am on Saturday, November 12, at Whareroa Marae, 25 Taiaho Place, Mount Maunganui.

A shared lunch of cultural foods will be provided and people are encouraged to share multicultural performances. T

o register attendance, visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2nd-annual-migrant-powhiri-tickets-423292177297