Kānuka Processing Facility

Our Kānuka Processing Facility at Tītiraukawa is a hub of sustainable harvesting and mātauranga-based production. We work closely with whenua whānau, receiving kānuka harvested at the correct stage of the maramataka to ensure the highest quality and potency.

Through a careful distillation process, we extract kānuka floral oil and water that are valued for their unique properties. The leaves are also processed into kānuka tea, which we share through sales and as koha within our iwi and wider community.

This facility reflects our commitment to kaitiakitanga (guardianship) by combining traditional knowledge with modern techniques to protect and responsibly use our natural resources. It also provides an opportunity for whānau to participate in an enterprise that strengthens our connection to the whenua while supporting the economic well-being of Ngāti Kuia in Te Tauihu.

Enquiries

For more information about our Kānuka Tea or Floral Water and Oil products, please contact nicki@ngatikuia.iwi.nz.

Location

Titiraukawa: 28 Maungatapu Road, Pelorus Bridge, Marlborough.

History of Titiraukawa

Titiraukawa is located at the junction of the Rai and Te Hoiere (Pelorus) Rivers. As the descendants of the first people of this region, Ngāti Kuia holds a deep cultural and historical connection to this place.

It was a Ngāti Kuia pā, kainga (village) and seasonal food gathering site, particularly during the Kererū hunting season from March to May. Several important trails met here; it was a site to trade Pakohe (an argillite rock distinct to this region) and as a stopover for the Maungatapu Trail, which leads to Whakatū (Nelson), Lakes Rotoiti and Rotoroa, and then onto Te Tai Poutini (the West Coast). It was not attacked by the other iwi raids that did not venture this far up the river.

• Ko Maungatapu te Maunga
• Ko Te Hoiere te Awa
• Ko Titiraukawa te Kāinga
• Ko Ngāti Kuia te Iwi
• Maungatapu is the Mountain
• Te Hoiere is the River
• Titiraukawa is the Village
• And Ngāti Kuia are the People