PoiPoi - A Gathering Under the Matariki Skies
Event Info
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.
FAQs
- Why are tickets being released differently?
A word from Margeaux, Mumu and Flair:
Gathering in community feels extra important in these uncertain times, especially with a focus on nourishment, collective introspection, and play - this stuff is the medicine. The changing economy and increase in costs of living and transport will make this PoiPoi more of a challenge, both to us as organisers, and to you as attendees. Putting on events is always risky business, and this time around, we as facilitators aren’t in a position to shoulder the whole risk.
With that in mind, we ask that you help us by showing your support for POIPOI 2026. To do this, we are releasing tickets a bit differently this time: in order to keep prices accessible and the event viable, we need you to commit early.
Tickets will be available at a lower fixed price for 1 month, with a simple payment plan option if you can’t front all the funds at once. After that, we’ll release a second wave of tickets with a significant price increase.
The support received in this first month will shape the PoiPoi that we create - we’re in, we’re committed to bringing this vision to life if circumstance allows us to do so, and if we need to scale certain bits back to make this possible, then that’s what we’ll do. The main thing is - we wanna dance, sing, eat and reflect with all of you.
Who’s in?
- Is this event fully accessible?
Yes! The camp is fully accessible, with wheelchair friendly car/van camping available as well (on the hard-seal).
- Is PoiPoi family friendly? Can my family stay in a bunk room?
Tamariki are most welcome at PoiPoi, and we will create whanau-friendly bunk rooms as required - please let us know via the bunk booking form so we can make appropriate arrangements.
- Can I bring my dog?
Well trained and responsibly managed dogs are welcome at PoiPoi by consent only - please email yummproductionsnz@gmail.com and start a korero if you would like to bring your furry friend.
Please note: only contributors dogs are allowed inside the hall.
- Can I come early? What about staying longer?
Short answer: if you're keen to get stuck in and help, yes. Just let us know via email that you're keen so we know who to expect.
- Is the camping accessible with a 2wd?
Yes - if there has been a lot of rain, the entry to camping can get muddy, but it is still accessible to all vehicles.
- Where can I store my food?
If you'd like to bring food to contribute to the communal meals, you're welcome to store it in the walk-in pantry next to the kitchen, or the allocated fridge. These areas will be labeled. For any personal food/drinks/snacks - please bring a chilly bin if possible, and there will be shelves labeled 'personal' in and outside the pantry.
Gallery
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