What is Native Nations United?

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Nadine Toe Toe is one of three Directors of Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours, a whānau-owned and operated tourism business located in the heart of Ngāti Manawa Tribal Lands in Murupara, with a founding vision to “Change a town through tourism”. 

Although located in Ngāti Manawa tribal lands, Nadine is of Ngai Tai descent, and has harnessed her extensive years of experience and expertise in tourism, social responsibility, and community engagement to create a unique experience that gives back to the tamariki (children) of the area and create opportunities for travel, growth and development. 

Nadine has recently been appointed to the Regenerative Vanua board for Vanuatu, and has now elevated her regenerative approach on to a global platform, launching ‘Native Nations – Tracing Indigenous Footsteps’ project (Winner 2023 NZ Tourism Award ‘Industry Collaboration & Alignment”), and is working with a number of other indigenous communities around the world to instigate positive change, through tourism, while continuing to uplift her own community at the same time.

This monumental initiative, uniting three Indigenous nations, signifies the power of collaboration in our tourism industry and among Indigenous cultures that uphold balance, respect, and harmony with spirit, nature, and all living beings, while fostering meaningful connections between Indigenous youth from three different nations. 

The purpose of this experience is to utilise the vehicle of indigenous tourism to reconnect youth to whenua (land), taiao (environment), their identity and embark on a journey of truthful history, storytelling and healing.