Meet our whānau | family
Kia ora and hello, my name is Wikatana and welcome to Far North X Tours, a family owned Māori tourism business in Te Hiku o Te Ika, otherwise known as the Far North of Aotearoa | New Zealand.
I grew up fishing, diving, hunting, and gathering kai | food with my whānau. Now, with our son and wider whānau, we’re opening those same experiences to you.
The name Far North X Tours came from a kōrero between father and son. We thought of “X” as our spot X — the secret, sacred places only locals know, and only those with the right wairua (spirit) are invited to visit. That “X” represents not just a destination on a map, but a crossing over into a new way of seeing the world — through Māori eyes, values, and stories.
We are fluent in te reo Māori | Māori language and are graduates of the Kura Kaupapa Māori | Māori immersion schools. We live by Te Maramataka Māori, the Māori lunar calendar. Our environmental system that shows us when to fish, when to plant, when to rest, and when to celebrate.
Our tours follow those rhythms so that guests don’t just “do activities,” they experience what it means to live in balance with the taiao | environment.
So whether you’re local, school, traveller, work team or social group, we’d love to host you and show you the real Far North.
Wikatana Popata & Rangimarie Pomare
Founders & Directors
Our beautiful whānau. With our tamariki by our side, we’re growing a kaupapa that’s about more than tourism — it’s about whanaungatanga, manaakitanga, and kaitiakitanga. Every experience reflects who we are as a whānau and the values we live by.
Haere mai to the real Far North. This is our home. Let us show you the magic.
Mihirangi Popata
Cultural Wellness Retreat Lead
Growing up here and going through kura kaupapa Māori shaped who I am. Now I’m raising my own tamariki in te reo Māori because our language is everything.
As a kaiako, I bring people together through our Cultural Wellness Retreats — creating space to reflect, share, and connect. For me, it’s about whanaungatanga, manaakitanga, and kaitiakitanga: looking after each other and our place.
Hine Te Waipuna Popata
Wellness Retreat Kaitiaki & Rongoā Māori Practitioner
Hine is a kura kaupapa Māori graduate and devoted aunty to our whānau tamariki. She holds our whakapapa and iwi histories, strengthening our cultural foundation.
As our lead rongoā Māori expert, she specialises in mirimiri and traditional healing. She anchors operations as administrator, kaitiaki, and manaaki of our Cultural Wellness Retreats — embodying wisdom, care, and manaakitanga in everything she does.
Zeb Popata
Whenua & Moana Experience Lead
Zeb is a skilled hunter and horseman who gathers kai from land and sea. Raised in these traditions, he now passes them to his tamariki, taking them hunting from birth to keep our tūpuna’s knowledge alive.
He leads our Whenua & Moana Experience with deep understanding of ngahere, moana, and working with horses — guiding manuhiri through authentic adventures. His approach weaves skill with tikanga, building connection, respect, and kaitiakitanga.