Poipoi - A Gathering Under the Matariki Skies

Name: Poipoi - A Gathering Under the Matariki Skies
Start: 2026-07-10T02:00:00+12:00
End: 2026-07-12T05:00:00+12:00
Location: Gunns Bush

Schedule

Fri, 10 Jul, 2026 at 02:00 am to Sun, 12 Jul, 2026 at 05:00 am

UTC+12:00

Location

Gunns Bush | Waimate, CA

PoiPoi is back for a third year at the delightful Gunns Bush Camp, on the East coast of Te Waipounamu.
Join us for a nurturing weekend of kani kani (dancing) and kai, grounding ritual, ceremony, and connection within community.
Ceremony is the backbone of this event and we will be guided in and out of the weekend, as well as coming together for a sunrise Matariki ceremony, with Taonga Pūoro, karakia, and collective intention.
Workshop flavours will include mindfulness, sound healing, pūrakau (storytelling), and more. Evening entertainment will feature some of Aotearoa's finest DJs, fire spinning and a roaring hot drum fire. The sauna will be lit all weekend with the awa close by for a refreshing reset, plus the ngāhere (forest) surrounding the camp beckons to be explored.
Sharing kai and feeding the community go hand in hand, and with this intention we will be providing a simple and nourishing breakfast both mornings and dinner on Saturday night. There is an industrial kitchen on site plus an outdoor barbecue and these will be available for use when not being used for communal food prep.
Tickets will be released differently this year - Early Bird priced tickets will be available for 1 month, and after that we jump straight to Final Release at a significantly higher price. Help us create PoiPoi by showing your commitment early. The support received in this first month will shape the PoiPoi that we create. Payment plans are available for those who are keen to commit but do not have the funds available straight away.
We hope you'll join us in embracing a gifting culture for the duration of the event - whether this takes the form of a dishwashing session, a poem performed at Open Mic, a shared dish or garnish to contribute to any meal, or making someone a hot cuppa. This is an alcohol-free event, and we ask that you manage your rubbish and take out what you bring in.
Lodging is available in the camp for an extra $10 per bunk bed. There are 80 bunk beds available, and each room has between 8-13 beds. You can book a bunk by selecting it as an add-on after purchasing your ticket (you can select multiple beds if you want to reserve beds for your friends), and you will be sent a booking form once your ticket order is processed. There is plenty of space to set up a tent or sleep in your vehicle around the camp, and plenty of hot water for hot water bottles to help keep you warm during the night.