Pacific kava business owner finds ‘māfana’ at Waitangi on first visit

For many, Waitangi Day is marked from afar. For Tongan kava business owner ‘Anau Mesui-Henry, being at the Treaty Grounds meant something deeper.

On her first visit to Waitangi, Mesui-Henry says she felt māfana, warmth, not just from the people but from the shared history and values that connect Tangata Moana and Tangata Whenua.

Mesui-Henry and her husband, Todd Henry, co-own Four Shells Kava Lounge. This Waitangi Day marked their first time attending events at the Treaty Grounds, an experience she describes as both grounding and challenging.

“There's a lot of māfana (warmth) here, a lot of depth, obviously, a lot of history and culture,” Mesui-Henry told PMN News. “It's also, for myself, a lot of learning. It’s beautiful to be here and just understand, how do I place myself as a Tongan, as Tangata Moana?”

She says the visit prompted reflection on what a modern partnership between Māori, Pacific, and non-Māori communities could look like, guided by the values she was raised with in Tonga.

For Mesui-Henry, belonging in Aotearoa begins with respect - not only for the land but for the people and stories that come with it.

Waitangi attendees watching Thursday's pōhiri to politicians from the Waitangi Treaty Grounds lawn. Photo/PMN News

“Honouring means understanding or learning, always learning at the feet of those who hold that space," she said. "That's how I see myself at this point in time.”

Her experience comes as new research shows many New Zealanders have never made the journey to Waitangi. A recent study by the Waitangi National Trust found that 55 per cent of people have not visited the birthplace of the nation, with even lower numbers among young people.

In a statement, Greg McManus, the Chief Executive of Waitangi National Trust, said the findings should serve as a wake-up call.

Protesters hung banners around the Treaty Grounds. Photo/PMN News

“It is disappointing to find that over half of New Zealanders have not visited this country’s most historic site, while just over one in three (36 per cent) have visited Stonehenge, the Acropolis or the Colosseum, all World Heritage Sites on the other side of the planet.”

Mesui-Henry says her visit was deliberately different from a typical sightseeing trip. She travelled to Waitangi at the invitation of local friends instead of as a tourist.

“Coming with them, it's more meaningful because they can tell us what's happening, what the different areas are, the protocols," she said. "I didn’t want to come up as a tourist. I wanted to come up as a friend, invited by a friend, of the people of the area.”

During her time in the north, Mesui-Henry noticed strong similarities between Māori and Tongan culture, from ceremonial practices to the rhythm of language.

“There's a lot of familiarity," she said. "It’s actually quite warm, you can say hello to anyone. I’m practising my te reo and I love that, because I feel the Māori language and the Tongan language sound very similar. It’s quite māfana.”

The visit will conclude, as many meaningful Pacific gatherings do, with a kava session. Mesui-Henry and her husband plan a quiet, “reflective" evening with friends to process the experience.

“Just talk about what's happened here and what it all means. Just honour the space, aye.”