The Waiōhau Marae, located on the eastern boundary of Te Urewera National Park, is a traditional meeting ground for the hapū of Ngāti Haka and Patuheuheu, of the iwi of Tūhoe.

It connects ancestrally to Te Urewera, the maunga (mountain) of Hikurangi and the awa (river) of Rangitaiki.

Fellow Labour MPs Peeni Henare, Tāmati Coffey and Kiritapu Allan attended in her place, and Ardern committed to visit at a later date.

[5][6] A memorial was installed at the school after World War II, honouring the 28th Māori Battalion soldier Paora Rua, who was killed in Crete on 23 May 1941.

[10] Te Kura Maori-a-Rohe o Waiohau is a co-educational state Māori language immersion area school,[11] with a roll of 81 as of November 2024.